Oracle
by NoxiTheShadowSpinner
Summary: She was given a cruel nickname, Mickey Finn. Mickey lived in Manhattan for her whole life. She dealt with many of the ups and downs that come with living in that city. She watched as super powered heroes and villains battles raged on. Now, she is finding out that she is no longer going to be spectating, but will become part of it. Mickey is the Oracle.
1. Chapter 1

There are a lot of things I have learned in my life, but if I had to narrow it down. I would say the top three were these. One, you cannot depend on others the way you have to depend on yourself. Two, if you sit and wait nothing will ever happen. Three, if you are in a bad position, only you can change it. I lived by those lessons from the age of sixteen because I found myself in a spot where I would end up in a grave before I ever tasted a real life. Later on, somehow I learned a forth lesson that I had missed. Four, terrible things will happen in your life that are out of your control.

That was how I felt standing on the roof top. Manhattan was always a beautiful city when you were higher up. You could see the lights twinkle like a million stars in the sky. Stars that you couldn't see when you were on the ground looking up. When you were on the ground you realized the stars where out of your reach. My stars were out of my reach. I didn't know where they went but they were gone.

All gone, just all gone.

I looked over the edge stabling my nerve to jump. I wanted to make sure I left behind no regrets. I wanted to be ready. There were no heroes waiting to save me, no stars in my sky. I had been through so much. I tried so hard. Now, it all came apart at the seams. I knew I couldn't fix it.

"Wait!" A voice called to me. It was a light sound, unsure and scared. I turned around carefully. I steadied myself on the ledge and looked onward. I could barely make it out but I saw him. He was wearing his signature red and black mask. He was more damaged, more broken then me but here he was. He was no hero.

"Before you decide which way to go tell me, is everything you said to me a lie? I don't like liars."

"No."

"Then why the hell are you doing this to me? You are going to take away one of my few life lines. Why are you trying to hurt me?"

"This isn't just about you! Stop being a selfish bastard for once in your life Wade!"

"If I'm such a selfish bastard then what does that make you. And F.Y.I. this selfish bastard loves you damn it!" He was panting from all the shouting, angry and passion he put into those words. I could feel the punctuation behind every sentence the syllable behind every word. They stung my ears and we fell into a silence.

"Please." He begged me. His voice shaken, I could sense the moister forming around his eyes. His tears.

"Just think for a moment."

I did something not many people would do when the orders came from the Merc with the Mouth, Deadpool. I listened to him. I took a moment and thought back two years ago when this all began.

It was just after the holiday season. The big apple had finally gone back to "normal." The date was January 31st 2013, my birthday. I was 18 years old, unlike other 18 years old girls. I didn't have a party or any sort of celebration. I worked that day and went to school. The only special thing I was doing that day was hanging out with friends. Usually I would visit them only on Saturdays just to give myself a break from all the work I did, but Kyle would not let me get through the day without a birthday cake. I was on the Subway traveling to the warehouse district at the seaport. Kyle lived there with his boyfriend in a loft. When a person lives in New York you have an idea that everyday was a journey and everyday was a disaster. It all depended on which would happen and when. It didn't surprise any natives when the subway car started to shake on the tracks that Spiderman was chasing some small time villain that many people didn't know. A lot of tourists grabbed their phones and started recording the dispute. This would be on YouTube within the hour. The door to our car was ripped off the hinges and flew across the car into the other door. It left the car exposed to the tunnel rushing by. We all looked to the entrance of the car. Some of us jumped, others didn't, and the rest of us weren't sure what we were looking at. A woman with a normal looking body, it was slender, fair skin, and wore red mid-drift top with a high collar, no sleeves and a low cut V neck. Pants that resided low on her hips which were accompanied with boots and gloves that match the same color of her top. She was attractive till you got to her head. It wasn't a head at all. It was a ruby red ball that looked like plastic. I recalled seeing her on the news once for a bank robbery. I didn't pay much attention to the news but it was hard to forget such a strange looking bank robber. I remembered they called her Ruby Thursday. I didn't know whether to pity her or laugh. I decided it was best to stay quiet when one of the tourists who burst into laughter was picked up by a tentacle that formed from the red plastic ball she considered a head and tossed out of the back of the train. Everyone in the train was thrown into a mass hysteria.

It happened to be this man's lucky day that Spiderman wasn't far behind. He caught the man with his web and pulled him back into safety. People started to calm down and cheer now that Spiderman made his grand appearance. He ordered everyone to head to the front of the train. They were quick to there feet and ran past him to safety. I was jostled around. I couldn't make my way out without being trampled on so I tucked myself safely between two seats until the stampeding feet were gone.

Spiderman had gone into a speech about how she couldn't win and just to give up so he wouldn't have to hurt her. Ruby Thursday didn't seem very scared or threatened by him when she formed another disturbing tentacle from her head and removed an empty subway seat from the train. She threw it at our brave hero who dodged it skillfully. As the super powered people continued their uninteresting banter I took upon myself to make a narrow escape. In my case it wasn't an escape at all. Ruby Thursday had caught my by my ankle when I reached the door. She yanked me up into the air past Spiderman. The sudden flight made me a little vertigo. I could feel my head spin. I was tempted to throw up on her. That would teach her.

"What are you going to do now hero?" She hissed. I could feel myself shaking. I was scared plain and simple. She whipped me back and used me a projectile. I've never flown before but being chucked across a moving train did not make me want to start. Spider man caught me before any harm came to me. He sat me down carefully then turned his attention to Ruby Thursday who was making her escape out the back of the train.

"Crap!" He turned back to me. "Just stay here and you will be safe."

But I wasn't listening; I was having a vision, a premonition. Spiderman followed Ruby Thursday off of the train into the tunnel. She was weaving past on coming trains and managed her way on top of on heading for the Brooklyn. Spiderman landed in front of her catching her by surprise.

"Enough!" He shouted. "Your rampage is over you're coming with me!"

She cocked her head to the side as he approached her. She didn't hesitate when she drew her sawn off shotgun. It was a fluent motion his precognition never warned him. She blew his head clean off.

"Stop!" I grabbed onto his leg causing him to fall forward landing on his face.

"Hey!" He grunted looking back at me.

"She has a gun!" I didn't think about how crazy I was going to sound to him.

"I didn't see a weapon on her, other then her ridiculous head. I would have definitely noticed."

"It's not on her it's on another train!"

"Look, I know your scared but-"  
>"Shut up and just trust me. I know this sounds crazy." I let go of his leg. "Just, trust me."<p>

He looked at me for a moment before he got up and chased after her. I couldn't stop him. He was a hero and danger came in the job description. I got off the train at the next stop and saw police officers and other government officials. They were helping people off the train and taking statements. The normal protocol when a big incident like this happened. I wanted to skip all the formalities. I slipped past the officers and guards and proceeded down the additional ten blocks to the seaport.

You couldn't really smell the sea from the docks. All the years of pollution and garbage blanket what every beauty this area may have had years ago. Now, in the winter air it was grey and dreary with patches of snow decorating it accordingly. There were several identical warehouses. All of them had an unpleasant almost sickly yellow exterior with tin roofing. The build I was looking for had an elaborate mural on the side that Hagumi had done for them when they moved into the building. It was the Manhattan skyline with two moons, one purple, one blue, stars that covered the horizon. David, Kyle's boyfriend, loved that mural. He was like a mother hen who swooped in on her chick as I walked in the door.

"Thank God you're okay!" He stammered. "We saw what was happening on the news. YouTube is flooded with videos. You don't have a cellphone so-"

"So, David was worried." Kyle said as he walked up behind David. He placed his arm around his hips and squeezed a little. Kyle and David drastically contrasted in physical appearance and attitude. David had light features, blue eyes, blonde hair, which was rimmed with a pink color from crying no doubt, tall slender frame. He was delicate compared to his counterpart. Kyle I knew from my childhood. He was more bulky then David. Kyle was endowed with black locks of hair and rust colored eyes. He was more calm and indifferent, but if you did manage to anger him you had better luck swimming with a shark then regaining his forgiveness. David was always willing to forgive and forget.

"You really need to invest in a cellphone Mickey." David encouraged. "Maybe your grandfather would be willing to get you one now, even a prepaid one."

"Pops hates technology."

David frowned. I looked over and spotted Hitome and Hagumi on Kyle's laptop. It looked like they were chatting to someone. When I got closer I recognized the voice.

"She just walked in!" Hitome said. "Hey Mickey Finn, Guess who saw the train jacking all the way in Egypt!"

I squeezed my way between them to get a better view.

"Rosa De Luca." I greeted. She smiled showing off her sharp white teeth. Rosa was a mutant. She had lion like features and attributes. She was covered in short white albino fur with long white hair on top of her head. She looked strange to most people but she was still a very popular dominatrix. No I am not kidding. We met went she got lost on her way to a convention. I got her to where she needed to be. We were friends ever since. She keeps trying to influence me into the bdsm scene. I wasn't interested.

"Buongiorno darling! I heard about the train are you alright?"

"I'm fine Rosa, how's the tour?"

"All the same, kings and politicians are looking for an escape. I am providing them one." She laughed.

"Well at least you're busy. I have to go but I'll see you state side soon right?"

"Sí honey ciao and happy birthday!"

I thanked her and walked over to Kyle who was tuning his guitar. He looked at me briefly to acknowledge I was there and to tell me he was listening. I sat beside him.

"I had another one."

He stopped mid-strum.

"Again?"

I nodded.

"Are we sure you aren't a mutant?"

"I went to five clinics, FIVE, all results were negative. This one was clearer then the others too. I saw Ruby Thursday kill Spiderman."

"Who's Ruby Thursday?"

"Some third rate villain."

"And she killed Spiderman?"

"With a sawn off shotgun."

"What did you do?"

"I-uh told him."

"You TOLD him?"

"I blurted it out. It's not like I meant to cut me some slack. I was in a hostage situation!"

"You and over half of Manhattan have been in a hostage situation at one point or another. The big question is did he believe you?"

"Probably not, he thought I was being hysterical."

Kyle strummed his guitar a few more times listening to the smooth even tone coming from the strings. Once it was to his liking he sat the instrument down and looked at me.

"If he was dead we would have known by now. So either your premonition was wrong or he took whatever you threw at him seriously."

I sighed and leaned back covering my face with my arms. "I don't even want to think about it anymore."

I felt a figure walk up and stop by my side. I looked up and saw David standing over me with a large platter in his hands.

"Happy birthday to you." He sang. He bent over to place the platter with a cake on it inscribed Happy Birthday Mickey on the table. It had two candles, one shaped like a one and the other shaped like an eight. I couldn't contain myself. I smiled and I couldn't stop smiling.

"Oh my God!" I laughed.

Everyone else joined in the song and when it was completed I blew out the candles on my first birthday cake to make my first birthday wish. A wish I have kept a secret all my life, even now on this ledge I will not tell anyone.

"Did you hand in your application?" David asked. It took me a moment but I figured out he was referring to my scholarship application. I applied to the Stark Industries Engineers of the Future scholarship. It would mean my education would be paid in full, without it I probably wouldn't be able to go to college.

"Yeah, I turned it into Mary's this morning."

"Mickey, the mail date was due today! Why in the world did you wait so long?"

"For today."

"Yeah, but why?"

"I turn eighteen."

"I didn't think there was an age limit on it."

"I mailed it on time, that's what matters."

"Yes but you can't wait last minute on something so important." He sighed and shook his head. I smiled back at our mother hen and grabbed a slice of cake. To my surprise it was a red velvet cake.

I washed my hand of the frosting and grabbed the spared guitar handed to me. Kyle started to teach me to play guitar when I was sixteen. I knew a few songs by heart but I wasn't very good. Kyle could go professional, me? I wanted to work in engineering for a reason. I strummed the cords delicately and started playing. Kyle loved songs from groups like Poison, Led Zeppelin, or AC/DC. He was only two years older then me but he preferred older music. I played more modern songs not as heavy or rock and roll, more of a jazz feel. There was one song we could always play together and that was Jumper by Third Eye Blind. Everyone stopped what they were doing and began singing with the tune.

It was about 5:30 when I left the seaport. I had somewhere else I had to be. There was a garage called Forge and Fix Auto ran by a mutant nick named Forge. He was my mentor. He was also the main reason I want to be an engineer. I was fifteen when I first met him. I was rummaging through what I thought was a garbage. I needed spare parts for a car. I just needed to make it turn on. I didn't need to drive it. He caught me but instead of chasing me off the property, he invited me inside.

"Show me what you can do." He demanded. I impressed him, but I wasn't in the right place at that time. I didn't go back to Forge's till a year later.

I made a right onto 24th street, and then I made another right to cut down a tiny dark alleyway. It would shave five minutes off of my walk and with the sun setting and the temperature getting colder I didn't want to be out any longer then I had to be. Not that superheroes and villains were bad enough, but cold weather, hobos, muggers, and murders/rapists made Forge's look even more appealing. I was approaching the dumpster behind Wu's Great Wall. You could smell General Tso's chicken and pan fired noodles coming from the back door. It would make me hungry but the rotten egg and gym sock scents from the trash corrected that. The only pro about this alleyway was the milk curdling smell kept most people away. Employees at Wu's Great Wall wouldn't spend more time near the dumpster then it took to throw out the trash. Which meant most muggers and other ill will people wouldn't go down there. I held my breath and pressed on. I reached the dumpster when I heard a loud scream and a thud from behind me. I jumped and spun the around to see what fell.

"Aw come on Spidey, it wasn't like that. I was trying to help."

"By fondling her chest?"

"Either that or let her fall."

"You are a pig."

It didn't seem like the two men noticed me. I kept watching as their discussion went on.

"You cut me deep, what about all those hilarious adventures we had together. Remember Tomb Stone?" The man that had landed in the nest of trash bags wore a black and red costume with a mask. He and Spiderman looked dangerously similar in the dark, the only difference were certain parts of detail in costumes. Spiderman's costume had blue in it plus the signature web design and the spider logo on the front. The other man didn't have as much detail, two symmetrical black patches around his sides and arms and another two on his mask over the eyes. He got up from his trash nest and tried to throw his arm around Spiderman's shoulders.

"Don't touch me! Deadpool you need to stay out of my town and away from me!"

"To bad "your town" isn't just "your town". Heroes from bum fuck Egypt have a foot in "your town". "

Spiderman crossed his arms and glared at Deadpool. I had started to lose interest in the argument and turned to leave. I accidentally kicked and tin can that skidded across the alleyway hitting the dumpster. A loud low dong sound rang from it, causing both Spiderman and Deadpool to look over at me. I froze and turned back.

"You!" Spiderman exclaimed. "You're the one from the train!" I took that as my cue to leave quickly. I dashed out of the alleyway onto 26th street. I didn't look back but I could still hear them behind me.

"Wait, Stop!"

"Good job Spiderman you scared her off."

"Shut up!"

I couldn't hear them once I was back on the main street. I turned and nearly tripped over a bum on my way out of the alleyway.

"Watch where the hell you're going asshole." The man shouted. I ignored him and kept running. I was bombarded with phrases like "where's the fire at honey." and "Don't hurt yourself gurl." nothing new in the big city. I ran across the street almost getting run over by a taxi, which the driver cursed and honked at me. I hopped the fence into a church grave yard. I was sure I lost him but I didn't want to risk slowing down. I stopped short when Spiderman landed in front of me pivoting on the toe of my foot to run the other way. I didn't get very far when I slammed into something solid and landed hard on the ground.

"Ow!" I whined looking up to see what I ran into was a person, Deadpool.

"I don't need your help!" Spiderman stated trying to intimidate Deadpool. It wasn't working.

"Yeah because you were doing so great on your own, look at me I am Spiderman and I do no wrong." Deadpool mocked. Spiderman was ignoring his insults and was helping me onto my feet.

"I am sorry about that." He apologized.

"Yeah, whatever." I patted my pants trying to get the dirt and little bit of snow off them.

"Some heroes you two are." I grunted.

"He is not a hero." Spiderman gestured toward Deadpool.

"Says you." Deadpool retorted.

"Says everyone! Nobody likes you."

"Tell that to the Deadpool fan base or the Spideypool shippers."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You need to get on the internet more often." Spiderman shook his head and ignored him again.

"What you told me on the train saved my life, my precognition never warned me."

"You're welcome." I said as turned to leave.

"Hey, I'm not done!" I stopped.

"We could always tie her up." Deadpool suggested as he searched himself for rope.

"How about no, don't you have something else you should be ruining right now?"

Deadpool stood there motionless for a minute or two thinking.

"I do actually, see ya!" He hopped the fence and disappeared into a nearby side street.

"I'm sorry, he's an ass who's hard to get rid of." Spiderman apologized again. I started at him blankly. I didn't care about his stupid apologizes I just wanted to get to the garage.

"So, about Ruby Thursday, how did you know she had a weapon hidden on another train?"

"Lucky guess?"

"Don't play dumb I had lamer villains with better lies."

"Did you just call me lame?"

"Uh-no that not what I meant."

"Another hero who is an ass, with an ego problem, what a surprise!"

"Look, I wouldn't ask you if I didn't have a point. Your power could help a lot of heroes and none of them would care that you are a mutant."

"Sorry to rain on your parade. I am not a mutant."

"Your gift can still help a lot or heroes. I could even take you to S.H.E.I.L.D."

"No." I didn't want to deal with this I was already running late. I turned and started walking toward the garage.

"Hey, stop walking away!" Spiderman followed me.

"Go away. I have to be somewhere and you are making me late."

"I could give you a ride if you want to hear me out."

"No thank you." I walked out of the grave yard and continued down the street.

"If you change your mind you can wait from me in that grave yard at 11pm. I'll keep an eye out for you." He called after me. I never stopped to turn around but I knew he was no longer following me.

"Ass." I whispered.

My small journey which should have taken 25 minutes ended up taking 45 minutes making me 20 minutes late. Forge was definitely going to make me aware of it.

"It was nice of you to show up." He stated while he welded two panels together for the turret he was working on.

"Sorry, I got held up on my way here." Forge gave me a serious look.

"I haven't been late since the train was stopped because Hulk tore up the train tracks. That was six months ago! I'm on time most of the time."

"Most of the time should be all the time." Forge reminded me. He activated the turret and started calibrating the targeting system.

"What's that for?"

"It's for a jet. A good friend of mind was training some new people on it and the turret was damaged badly. They need a new one."

"How badly?"

"It was completely detached by a rocket launcher."

I whistled at his statement. "Wow."

I set my items down on a near by table. I grabbed my small spiderbot from the loft up above the office. I know its cliché and tacky, like from a bad spy movie, but they always had a soft spot in my heart. When I brought the idea to Forge he laughed at the idea but still helped me get the parts for it. It was covered in a strong hard polymer with bits of chrome at the joints. It was meant to be disposable, with a small microchip and AA batteries that allowed it to run up three weeks. I named it XP Tula or XPT for short. XPT was light weight and could jump six feet in the air and land without taking too much damage. If the act happened repeatedly it would cause some wear and tear in the leg joints.

"Did you had in the application?" He asked referring to the scholarship previously mentioned.

"Yeah I did."

I hopped of the ladder and strolled over to the work bench with my little bot in hand. Its circumference was the length of my hand finger tip to base of palm. I laid it on its back and started adjusting the sensitivity in the legs. I have made several bots and things before but nothing that was useful. They could move or light up but this one would be able to travel up to five miles away from the operator and would have a small camera attached. I know, cheesy. Forge walked up and inspected my work.

"Adjust the sensitivity .001%." he suggested He had a uncanny way with technology. I adjusted the sensitivity and set it down for the night. I looked over at Forge who had completed his turret." I was amazed by how he could finish a project so quickly, turret in a day or two, a mech in a week, even stripped, rebuilt, and programmed a discarded robot within a month.

He brought me a cup of hot cocoa from the kitchen and sat down at the work bench inspecting XPT.

"This is very good work." He complimented. He placed it back down on the table and turned to face me.

"How was school this week?"

"Alright, Mr. Davis thinks I am being too ambitions. I am taking the usual amount of classes I've been taking. He is worried that with my extra studies and with the ten classes I will be over worked."

"But you graduate in a few months."

"Yeah, but he thinks I will be over worked."

"How much homework do you have?"

"I have an English paper, history paper, fifty algebra problems, physics lab, Latin, geometric, literature, and art history."

"Wow, and you did this for about 2 years?"

"I had to, I didn't want to get my diploma by the time I was 20."

"Just make sure you get some rest. I think I see some grays coming in."

I snorted and gave him a look. I trust Forge. He had helped me out with a lot and had a ton of connections. Maybe, He could help me figure out these visions.

"Forge?"

"Hmm?"

"I had a weird incident on the train ride today." I began, and then I continued to inform him of my visions. They had started about six months ago. First there was only one at a time, then two or three, now I would receive them at least once a week. I never knew when or where they would strike. Forge was contemplating on all the information I shared with him.

"Let me take you with me to Professor Xavier." He suggested.

"Who?"

"Charles Xavier you may have seen him on the news."

"I'm not very good at keeping up with current events."

"He's a spokesman, activist for mutant rights, and runs a school. He may be able to steer you in the right direction. I have to drop of the turret tomorrow. I'll call and let him know you are coming. You can see if he can help."

It started raining when I left the garage. The rain washed away what snow was left over, but it made finding a place to sleep even harder. I couldn't go under the bypass it was too cold. Benches, bus stops and subway stations were out of the question too. I didn't have money to put gas in the car rigged for a heated shelter. I would have to break in somewhere. There a building that was boarder up and official condemned. There were too many murders that happened there and no one wanted to move in and try to fix it up. Without the proper up keep the city condemned it. I managed to wiggle a board loose and slipped into the building. I went up to the top floor where most of the heat was. No one else was squatting there which worked out for me. I set down my bag and dug out a small throw blanket and rolled up a sweat shirt. I place the shirt under my head and close my eyes to go to sleep. This was just part of my life. I was homeless.

"At least it's warm." I told myself.


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh God!" I groaned in discomfort.

"Too BRIGHT!"

The blinding sun the was amplified by the snow left on the ground creating a punishment that had to be several magnitudes worse then anything Lucifer himself could create. I rolled around trying to ignore the annoyance but then the floor boards started squeaking. The onslaught from the hell sun and the whining floor boards made me realize I was not going back to sleep.

"Stupid sun!" I surrendered. I sat up from my spot on the floor and surveyed the room. Something didn't add up right. I wasn't alone. An elderly man in ragged clothing was sleeping peacefully in the corner across from me. He woke with a start and seemed embarrassed when he realized this room was already occupied.

"Pardon me! I didn't realize this room was taken."

I got a better view of the man when he shifted from his curled up position. He was bawled on top of his head with white and grey stringy hair on the sides and back that stuck out due to not being combed in a while. He had a coat on and judging from how thick it looked he probably had multiple shirts on underneath. On his legs were an old stained and worn out pair of jeans with holes that revealed his black long underwear. He stretched and yawned wincing in pain from sleeping in an uncomfortable position.

"It's fine." I replied as I quickly started folding up my blanket and putting it back into my backpack.

"My name is Walter, Walter Augustine Periwinkle Schrewsberry III."

I looked over at him. "That's uh a very extravagant name. I wouldn't want to sign for packages with all that."

He chuckled. "Yeah I was named after my great grandfather. They had, interesting names back then. Lucky me, you don't sign too many packages when you're a nomad. What would your name be?"

"Mickey Finn."

Walter tilted his head to the side slightly contemplating on the name I had given him. He took a couple minutes before responding. "Is that your real name?"

"It's the only name you need to be concerned with, you can call me Mickey."

He nodded and started rubbing his hands together trying to keep warm. I looked at me wrist watch, a gift from Kyle when I turned 16. It was 8:30am and I still needed to freshen up before going to meet Forge at 11:00. I zipped up my bag and slung it over my shoulder.

"Do you know if there are any other occupants?" Walter asked.

"Probably not, this place is condemned. Nobody wanted to buy a place with such a bad reputation."

"That didn't stop us." He smiled. His wrinkles curved around his mouth and eyes showing off his age. His teeth were yellow crooked and some of them were missing. His eyes were bright blue and lively. It was a genuine, sweet smile like a man that tasted true happiness in his life. I returned the gesture. Then I headed toward the door.

"Are you coming back?"

"Maybe."

"I'll be here."

Tony's Café was placed neatly between two different stores. On the left was a woman's clothing store and on the right a used book store. On Saturday mornings it was slow, usually elderly people and office workers that had to come in on the weekend. It was a modern place with chic but comfortable furniture, hanging lights with stain glass shades. There were granite counters with a giant glass cooler to the right of the cash register. The cooler had prepackaged sandwiches, fruit salads, yogurt parfaits and beverages for the patrons who didn't want to wait for food. I spotted Tony on the register dealing with a disgruntled customer trying to get free food.

"I ordered another bacon and egg bagel! You just forgot to put on my bill."

"Okay and I will gladly make you another one that you can pay for."

"Why should I pay for your mistakes? I want to speak to the manager!"

"I am the manager."

"The owner then!"

"I am that too. I also took your order and cooked the food."

The woman seemed to get flustered by the fact she wasn't getting anywhere. She grabbed the food she paid for stormed out. I waved at him as I passed and slipped into the bathroom. Hagumi was mopping out the last stall. She sported a black jumper and a light powder blue apron. She had shorts underneath, knee high multicolored sock, and black shoes.

"Hey Hagu!"

"Morning." She yawned. She rolled her mop bucket out to go to the men's bathroom. I sat my backpack underneath the sink and started brushing my teeth, then my hair and finally put on some deodorant. I decided it was a good idea to change my shirt to the new sweater I got from thrift store. I checked myself in the mirror to make sure everything was in order and went out to purchase a bagel with cream cheese and a coffee.

I walked down to Forge and Fix Auto. A winter rain started coming down and the winds made everything exceptionally worse. Water seeped into my shoes causing my socks to squish every time I took a step. The weather made everything feel heavier. Forge was waiting for me in his Dodge pick up truck. It was a bright red colored well taken care of and stuck out against the meek grey day.

"You ready?"

I nodded and followed him into the truck. The turret was already loaded into the back. The school was in up state New York couple hours away from Manhattan. It gave me time to work on my English paper. I already had the thesis statement done I just needed, well everything else. I tended to procrastinate a bit.

"Homework?" Forge inquired. He took the exit for the highway and started heading north.

"Yep, on language and grammar and the important it has on society and culture."

"How many pages?"

"Five double spaced."

"On top of what else?"

"Calculus, American History, French, and Biology."

Forge whistled at the amount of work. "That's a lot less then what you were taking when I first met you but that is still quite a bit."

I smiled to myself. It was a lot of work but I needed to catch up to everyone else in a little less then 3 years if I wanted to graduate in time. We entered Winchester County at 2pm. The area was a lot more attractive then the gutters you found in Manhattan. We got off on an exit and drove for miles before we entered a wooded area. The trees were bare except for an evergreen tree here and there. In the distance I spotted a large building surrounded by a wall with an old tall iron gate. When we got close enough and I could read a plaque to the left.

"Xavier's School for Higher Learning, is this some sort of school for advance students?"

"You could say that." Forge laughed. He rolled down his window and leaned over to press the small grey button on the intercom. It buzzed for a moment and then a voice responded.

"Forge! It's been too long!"

"Hey Scott, it's good to hear from you. Is the professor in?"

"He just got back from D.C. I'll let him know you're here."

The gates slowly drew back allowing us access to the campus. The grounds looked empty. It was still very impressive everything was well cared for. Forge parked the truck. I got out looking a around. I saw a woman with dark skin and white hair flying around above. A boy about my age was following after her. He formed sheets of ice that he was sliding on. It reminded me of some of the guys I saw in the skate park a couple time.

"Good job Bobby. Now let's make this a little more difficult." She flew into the woods with Bobby chasing after her.

"No fair Storm!"

I have seen mutants before, three of my friends were mutants. I never saw one that could fly though. I thought about it. "Higher learning." I repeated to myself.

"Forge is this school just for mutants?" I called Forge was already being greeted at the door. I ran over to catch up.

"Yeah, I thought I already told you that. This place allows young mutants to find their potential with their powers." I took another look before going into the building. The grounds that were once empty contrasted with about 15-20 students ranging from 14 to early 20s. In the lobby Forge was talking to a man wearing a dark pair of sunglasses, jeans, with a beige sweater that had a variation of brown diamonds going around the chest. I wasn't paying attention to what they were saying. I was more focused on the mutants and their awesome powers. Kyle, Hitomi and Hagumi were mutants they were pretty good at concealing their powers. Kyle had the ability to burn hotter then the sun and the twins could manifest electricity and amplify their power working together. I wondered if suggesting this school to them would be a good idea. I was so deep in thought I hadn't realized that I was about to bump into Forge till I made contact.

"Sorry." I stammered.

"Charles, Jean, Scott, this is Mickey. She's the one I mentioned on the phone. Mickey this is Professor Charles Xavier, Jean Grey and Scott Summer. I shook each of their hands as they handed them to me. It was then I realized that Xavier was in a wheel chair. I made me wonder if it was related to running a school for mutants or maybe his powers paralyzed him. Forge was explaining that he had the new turret for the black bird in the bed of the truck. Scott mentioned having a fork lift ready and Forge followed him after him. They passed a man who had a powerful strut about him. He didn't pay much attention to me or the other two in the room till someone addressed him.

"Logan." Xavier said.

Logan was dressed in blue jeans a white beater and a plaid button down shirt which was buttoned half way up. He tilted his hat to Jean and the Professor.

"Can't stop to chat I'm in a hurry."

He paused for a moment when he reached me.

"Nice hat." I commented. He looked me up and down.

"Nice shoes." I was wearing two different colored converses that I got from the thrift store. The shoe on me right foot was blue and the left was red.

"Logan, this is Mickey. Mickey this is Logan another instructor."

He nodded at me and continued his way out. He grabbed his coat from the coat rack and walked out the door. I could hear a motorcycle engine rev in the distance before Jean and Xavier escorted me to another room. The room was a normal looking office, one large and very elegant desk with two leather chairs in front and no chair behind it. A couple filing cabinets sat to our right under a window. Across from the cabinets was a book shelf filled with books on psychology, biology and some on philosophy.

"Have a seat." Xavier offered as he moved pass me. He settled behind the desk waiting expectantly. The chair squeaked when I carefully placed myself. I wanted to come off as a careful and refine individual, not the homeless, struggling bum that I was.

"I was running scans with my computer Cerebro for mutants but it never registered you."

"What is a Cerebro?"

"It's a computer that helps amplify my telepathic abilities. It allows me to find people who need help over a great distance, more specifically involving mutants. I believe at this point we can rule out the idea of you being a mutant. Forge explained to me that you have recently started having these visions."

"About six months ago."

"Did anything unusual happen to you around that time?"

"Not that I can remember." I looked over at Jean. She sat in the chair across from me and was taking notes as the Professor questioned me. I didn't enjoy this. It reminded me of when I was a kid and social services came to our apartment. They would sit across from me and prod into my life.

"Why don't you go to school?"

"Are you happy here?"

"Do you feel like you are properly cared for?"

It felt like I was a specimen in a jar. I didn't know what answers they wanted from me.

"Mickey?" Jean said bring me out of my thoughts. I looked up and realize that Xavier had asked me a question.

"I'm sorry what did you ask?"

"Could you explain some of the visions you have had?"

"First there was the incident with Ironman outside of city hall. I was walking past where a reporter was question him about his daring rescue. I remember vaguely I bumped into a man and I had a vision of over half of the city hall building being blown up. It threw shrapnel which got lodge into a weak spot in his armor."

Jean was still scribbling down notes as quickly has possible. The professor leaned forward seemed more interested in my situation.

"After that, I had another a couple months later. Thor and Hulk were fighting just outside of Brooklyn. I think it started the same way too I bumped into another person before that one happened as well. Same with the one I had 2 and half weeks after that. I saw Captain America getting blasted out of a window. It was a 20 story drop. Spiderman was the first one, well. I saw him die, like actually die."

Jean wrote a couple more notes and then tucked her pen into the spiral of the notebook she was using. Xavier took a breath and sat back in his chair.

"It seems like these premonitions are linked only to proclaimed heroes. Unless you came into physical contact with something that could of brought these abilities out in you. I wouldn't have the slightest idea of how or what could of trigger this. It sounds like, what the oracles could do in Greek mythology, telling the fates of heroes."

I started to doubt that this professor could help me. Xavier looked into my eyes like he could read my thoughts at that moment. I was too nervous to call him out on it, if he was.

"There is another option." He suggested. "Jean and I are both telepathic. Jean could search your mind to see when your powers first came forth." I was against this. I was extremely against this. I had more secrets then I cared to admit and I didn't need a psychic poking about in my brain. Xavier saw the concern on my face.

"I assure you we are very respectful and considerate of privacy. If it makes you feel more comfortable Jean can do it."

That did make me feel more comfortable, but I agreed reluctantly.

"Relax." Jean instructed. "Take a deep breath. You may feel a little odd."

I followed her instructions waiting for some sort of dizzy vertigo feeling. There was nothing. I felt normal.

"Professor, I can't enter her mind." Jean and Xavier seemed equally confused.

"I kept trying but nothing. It's like a barrier or some sort of mental defense." Xavier came to my side. "Allow me to try."

He placed his finger tips on my forehead and tried again. We sat in silence fore a moment. Then he looked at me astonished.

"This is unlike anything I have seen before. Telepathic resistance usually involves a tool. A protective helmet is the normal but this is very strange indeed. I wonder if it is a protective system your mind has created to keep telepathies from seeing the future through you."

Xavier returned back behind the desk and pulled something out of a drawer. He handed me a crisp clean white business card. It had the schools name across the top in black ink with the Professor's name, position, phone number, fax, and an email. I flipped the card over a couple times inspecting it.

"I have another appointment I have to keep, but if you would like to come back give me a call. I want to help you anyway I can."

He seemed genuine but I couldn't shake the specimen feeling. I wasn't a mutant or a human. I didn't know what I was anymore and it scared me. Was I a freak? A freak on display for the world to mock, that's how I felt, like I was being mocked. Xavier excused himself and Jean escorted me back to the lobby area. Forge and Scott were waiting for us.

"Within time all mutants can control their powers. I'm sure you will be able too." Jean encourage. I didn't answer her. I couldn't shake the over whelming doubt and self pity.

When I got close to the conversing men, Scott was complimenting Forge's work. Forge looked at me.

"How did it go?" He asked.

"Could have gone better." I said as I walked pass him. I wanted to put a lot of space between me and this place.

The snow began falling again as Forge drove us back to the city.

"Where am I dropping you off at?" Forged asked, he took the exit into the downtown area.

"I'm meeting some friends at Tony's Café on 51st street. Drop me off there." He pulled up to the curb across the street and let me out.

"Thanks for trying to help, I'll see you around."

"Things will get better." Forge almost promised.

"Sure, see ya."

I hurried inside out of the high winds and snow. I was around six when I walked in. I could stay and work on a polished version of my paper till Tony was ready to kick me out. Tony was a second generation Italian American. He was bilingual, speaking his grandparents' mother language and English fluently. He stood 6'1", olive skin, dark hair, muscular, and a womanizer to boot. He still had a heart of gold and was always willing to help his friends when they needed it. That meant I got to stay in the café well after closing time to finish my homework unless he had to get home right away.

"Have a good evening." Hitome said to a customer as he left the counter. I smiled at her and made my way to a table near the window. Hitome started cleaning the dining area using bleach. The smell was sharp and bitter turning my stomach. I manage to finish my conclusion to my essay and went back to reread for any grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. It was about 7 when Tony finally appeared from the back. He flipped the open sign to close.

"Who's hungry?" He asked. "I have left over Italian Wedding Soup and paninis."

"Sounds great! Is it free too?" I questioned.

He smiled and winked at me before returning to the kitchen. Tony carried a platter with three large bowls and a plate with tomato spinach pananis and tall glasses of homemade lemonade.

"Thanks Tony."

I closed my notebook and grabbed some food. I didn't get full meals often and when I was really in need I was known to dumpster dive for things like bagels. I looked up after consuming over half of my soup to realize Hitome was giving me a sly look.

"What?" I asked a little annoyed.

"So where did you and that guy I saw you with go off to?"

"Remember when I told you about Forge who helped me get into engineering? That was him; he took me to gets parts for my spiderbot."

"Cool, when do I get to see it?"

"When it's done." I replied dryly.

She smiled. "Soon enough you will be building the next Ironman suit."

"I wouldn't go that far, but definitely something much more awesome."

Tony snorted and almost spit out his food. Hitome and I couldn't help but laugh at his reaction to my egotistical answer.

"So where is your evil twin?" I asked.

"Out spreading her graffiti and causing our mother grief." Hitome sighed and finish her soup. Hitome and Hagumi may have been twins but their personalities were exact opposites. Hitome was extremely responsible and a bit up tight. She worked and went to school. She helped her mom out since their dad passed away from cancer.

Hagumi dressed a little like a wannabe hood rat. She wore sweat pants that she kept rolled up to her mid calf, converses, beaters, and hoodies. She kept herself cover in jewelry, expensive sunglasses, and baseball caps. Her usual mode of transportation was a skateboard especially when she did tagging. Hagumi's graffiti art ranged from murals to simple tags. She did commissions but blew the money on crap that she didn't need instead of helping her mom and sister. Hitome had a right to be aggravated.

"I would say to kick her out, but she's only 16 and your mother would be pissed."

"I don't want to lose anymore family members. Okaasan has enough trouble getting up in the morning as it is. I just, I wish she would help out more instead of running around doing tags all day."

"She's good enough for commissions, but she blows the money on crap."

"I know."

Hitome and I washed and dried the dishes we used as a thank you to Tony. He locked the back door behind us while we stood in the alley waited to leave together. Hagumi came rolling down on her skateboard. You could hear the spray cans clanking together in her bag.

"Hitome!" She called. "The guys want to meet up at the warehouse. Are you up for it?"

"Okaasan is going to be waiting for us at home."

"They just want to watch a movie. We can stop at home first, I'm sure you want to change."

"Fine, are you going too?" She directed her question at me.

"Yeah, I'll be there around 8:30. I have to pick something up at Forge's first."

"Spiderbot?"

"You'll have to wait and find out." I smirked. Hitome rolled her eyes and the twins headed home. Tony offered to walk me to Forge's.

"I lived down the street." He persuaded.

"Sure." I drew out.

The walk was short and quiet. Tony left me outside the garage. I waited till he rounded he corner to go inside. Everything seemed fine at first, but it was dark so I had to search around for a light switch. When I stepped forward could feel glass breaking under foot. Why was there glass on the floor? I found the switch, but the garage was a disaster. The light flickered illuminating flipped over tables and cars. There was glass tools oil and grease sprawled across the floor. My heart was racing. I threw down my bag and ran into the ruins of what was a clean and orderly garage. I carefully tried to avoid glass as I looked for Forge.

"Forge! Forge!?" I called. The farther back I went the worse it seemed to be. The smell of gasoline grew stronger.

"Forge!" I shouted. I heard a small groan from behind me. I turned and found him pinned underneath his trunk which was balancing on the hood and roof.

"Oh God Forge!" I ran over to him.

"Are you okay? Don't move I'll get help." He opened his eyes but and looked at me. His eyes were fearful and desperate. He wasn't looking at me. I realized. He was looking behind me.

"Run kid."


	3. Chapter 3

In my life I have carried nearly everything with me. My whole life had to fit in my backpack. It was easier to run that way. After starting school when I was 16 years old I decided to buy a dictionary and a thesaurus. I wanted to expand my vocabulary. The dictionary was Oxford American Dictionary; in it was the definition of fear.

Fear - an unpleasant emotion caused by the nearness of danger or expectation of pain etc.

Fear is a strange emotion. It is capable of heightening your senses. I could smell the oil and gasoline spilled among the debris. I could hear the generator running above us, the tire to Forge's truck squeaking to a stop, bits of metal shifting when the air conditioning kicked on. The hairs on my arm stood up on end as a large figure caste a shadow upon me. Fear, while it was sharpening my alertness had me frozen in place. I was paralyzed with the expectation of danger and pain. Forge was staring at me with desperation.

"Come on Mickey, you have to get out of here." He whispered. I heard him. I really did but my legs wouldn't move. I could not stand. I could not run. I couldn't do anything. When I heard the heavy foot steps stop my heart fluttered in my chest. It was a sharp pain, foreign to me. The monster that caused this destruction, the thing that could hurt Forge was only a few feet away. I gathered my courage, withholding my fear stained eyes, to turn and face the monster.

It wasn't a monster but a man, a mutant to be precise. He stood like a man, unlike some mutants I have seen before with more animal or other unnatural characteristics. He was 7 feet tall, a giant when compared to the average human. His skin was an unnatural grey color which was complimented by his blue lips. His lips kept a permanent scowl on his muscular face. His gaze alone was crushing me. I couldn't imagine what would happen if he grabbed hold of me. He could easily break a bone just by applying a little pressure. My breath shook as I stared on.

"I have found you at last." His voice caused a shiver to run down my spine. If the great abyss excreted part of itself I believed that excretion would have been this mutant. Everything about him would make anyone wary of the on coming storm.

""Me?" I replied breathlessly. I've been scared in my life but what I felt now could not compare. He smiled at me. He was entertained by my frightful demeanor. He had power over me and he was going to use it.

"You have no idea what you are capable of young one. Come with me and I can show you your full potential."

He held out his hand. I could feel his will upon me. His gazed compelled me to take his hand. I started to reach for it. My mind and body were on too different plains. My body ready to surrender to the powerful mutant who could easily kill me. My mind screaming to run or fight, but not to give in. Forge was the one to save me. Forge pulled me out of my trance stated with a pinch on the sensitive part of my arm. I jumped after feeling the sharp pain. I touched my arm out of habit and felt a little blood.

"Kid you have to get out of here. He won't hesitate to kill you." He whispered.

The spell was broken. I snatched back my hand and was on my feet. I leapt over Forge's legs and sprinted for the door. I could hear foot steps behind me and then a struggle.

"Let go you inferior cur."

Then there was a thud and a groan, but I didn't dare to turn around. I was out the door and ran across the street too afraid to think about Forge's fate. I ducked into a side street and continued down until I ran into a metal chain fence.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! SHIT! I panicked.

I turned around to go back the way I came. Maybe, if I got to the church Spiderman would be there. I got out on the main street and saw the man burst through the door. He cause it to splitter in half and instead of making a left and running to the church I made a right heading to the construction site for a new apartment building. I could hear the low heavy thumps coming from behind me. I wedge my way between two boards in the fence and ran onto the site. There was a pile of cylinders at the base of the structure. I ducked inside of one. I sat to the back of the cylinder hoping that if he did find me he would not be able to reach me.

I held my knees close to myself and prayed. Oh God did I pray. I heard the foot steps that were following me come into the construction zone. I covered my mouth in a desperate attempt to keep myself from screaming. He stopped in front of the cylinders. Everything was silent and the minutes drew by like hours. I could hear his even breaths. He lingered like a wolf trying to pick up the scent of his prey. I trembled when he walked away. I couldn't move but I knew I couldn't stay. I looked out of my hiding spot.

Everything was empty and quiet. I step out of the cylinder and quickly back tracked the way I came. I looked around trying to figure out where he had gone. It was hard to see due to the cloudy night sky, but you couldn't miss him, even in the dark. I couldn't shake the eerie feeling I was being watched. I walked faster. The clouds were quickly clearing. The moon's light shining onto Manhattan. I ran. Shadows were casting from the base of the structure like a cage. I was the prisoner and my captor stood on top of the prison. I turned. He was leering at me. I wasn't staying to entertain him and what dark thoughts caused him to grin at me. I ran back to the street straight for the church.

It was barely 8:30 but if I was lucky one of those heroes would be in the area. They had to be. They helped those in need and I was in need. I could see the steeple in the distance. I knew a short cut that could get me there quicker. It required me going down another alleyway. When I reached the chain fence there should have been an opening at the bottom where I could crawl through. The chain had been replaced ruining my strategy. I checked to see if the mutant was behind me. I could just make out the top of his shadow approaching the entrance of the alleyway. I had no other way out I had to climb it. The fence was about 10 feet tall with barb wiring at the top. It was shorter then the first fence that I was faced with but the barb wiring would still be a bitch to deal with. I took off my jacket and tossed it over the top. I wasn't very athletic but climbing a fence shouldn't have been as hard as it felt. I managed one foot over the sharp wiring when I felt a pull on my ankle.

"Let me go!" I shouted. The grey man smiled and pulled harder.

"You can't escape me child. I will always find you."

I bent forward still straddling the fence. I grasp onto either side of the fence trying to wrap myself around it. The wires cut into my face and parts of my arms that weren't covered by the coat. He was toying with me. He was clearly strong enough to rip me free from the fence. He was savoring the moment of capturing his prey.

"Help me!" My voice was shaky, sharp, and almost unrecognizable. "Let go of me you bastard!"

"No one is here to help you." He taunted me.

"That's where you'd be wrong!"

A figure came down from the sky and for a moment I thought it was an angel. Spiderman landed on his chest pushing the mutant back. The sudden slack caused me to fall the other side of the fence. I landed in the hairy arms of a muscular man. I looked up and something was familiar about him. I couldn't place it.

"You'll be okay kid." The man said.

"Who are you?" I asked. He looked from me back to Spiderman who was webbing the monster.

"I'm one of the good guys."

It was over. The mutant was captured and everything was safe yet again thanks to the heroes.

"Hey Wolverine!" Spiderman called. "Isn't this guy one of yours?"

"Yeah well, technically the Xmen's. Trust me your web trick isn't going to work on this one" Wolverine said as he placed me on the ground. My legs were too strained to hold me up anymore.

"What are you doing here Apocalypse?" Wolverine asked.

I looked at the man with the smugness smeared across his face.

"All in do time Xman." He took a breath and expanded his chest to break his web binding. It was like ripping through paper.

Spiderman stood ready to fight but Apocalypse walked away and disappeared. Spiderman turned back to Wolverine and shrugged.

"What was that about?" He asked.

"Nothing good, if he is walking away this early in a fight…" Wolverine trailed off thinking. He straightened up. "We need to get back. Fury and Delphina will want to know."

I was wiped out. I tried to support myself but I ended up collapsing. Wolverine walked over to help me. I looked up at him. He was frowning hard with concerned. My eyes were having a difficult time staying open. Then sleep over took me.

The florescent light on the ceiling irritated my eyes when I opened them. I couldn't tell how long I was asleep there was no clocks in my room. It wasn't any room I was familiar with. It was simple, with four walls and a door with a window in it that looked out into an empty hallway. I didn't recognize the hallway either. It wasn't any hospital or clinic I had been in Manhattan. Where the hell was I? The bed I was laying on was hard. It was more like a room for a prisoner. Did Wolverine or Spiderman bring me here? A black night stand was to my right and a wall to my left. On the nightstand was a glass of water. I didn't dare to touch it. It wasn't that I wasn't thirsty. If the drink happened to be poisoned I would be safer to wait and see it I could get my own drink. I sat up and looked around. There was a camera placed neatly in the upper corner above the door. I glared at it and stood up to check the door. It was locked. I cocked my head to the side in curiosity. Did they have to lock me in? I was a normal girl, not a threat. Apocalypse threatened my life and I was being punished for needing to be rescued? I pulled relentlessly on the door. It wasn't budging. I surrendered to the realization and walked back to the bed. When I rested as comfortably as I could on the rock hard bed a man walked in. He wore a suit and tie. His hair was cut neatly and he smiled as he approached me tucking his sunglasses in his coat pocket. His badge read Agent Coulson of S.H.E.I.L.D.

"Ma'am, if you would with me." He gestured to the door.

I eyed him suspiciously. My heart told me that I could trust him. He had no reason to hurt me. He would probably explain why I was there. When we found out it was some horrible misunderstanding he would let me leave. Then it would be one of those stories I could laugh about later. On the other hand if I left that bed I would end up in three separate oil barrels at the bottom of the harbor, or worse.

"We have some questions to ask you. It will only take a minute." He assured me.

I hesitated but I pushed myself onto my feet. He led me down couple corridors to an elevator. On the way I saw more people in suits and other uniforms walking back and forth with files and equipment. This had to be a government facility, everyone was too professional. I assumed that if I was in a government building they were probably going to question me about the mutant attack. Maybe, they hoped I could help them find him. Fortunately I didn't even know him so when they realized I wasn't of any use they would send me on my way, I hoped. We went down several floors and when the elevator let us off we went down another hallway. The hallway led to large room. It looked like a control center, rows and rows of computer. Agents were running back and forth and shouting across the room. It seemed like something bad must have happened. I took a moment to admire the view outside. The windows went from the floor to the ceiling and the clouds were as far as the eye could see. Then I realized clouds, we were in the air! I ran down a couple of steps and up to a window. I couldn't even see Manhattan from how high we were.

"Where the hell am I?" I shouted. The room went silent. I didn't mean to be so loud but this was insane and I was quickly losing my patience.

"There is no need to shout. You are on the S.H.E.I.L.D. helicarrier and temporary acting headquarters." Another man responded. He was dark skinned sporting an eye patch wearing a black trench coat. He reminded me of Xiahou Dun, he was an ancient Chinese general that ate his own eyeball to instill fear into his enemies. I wondered if this man was capable of the same actions. It was all very dramatic and badass which annoyed me even more. I turned and glared at him placing my hand on my hips in a very "I'm no push over" attitude.

"Why am I here?"

"You know what's funny is I wish I knew the same thing." He smirked with a hint of annoyance in his tone.

"You didn't have me brought here?"

"Ma'am I am chasing after over powered individuals that seemed to believe destroying or taking over, or plaguing our world is a sport. If it had been my choice you would be in Manhattan but, Delphina believes you are important." He gestured to a woman that followed him in.

"And you are?"

"Director Nick Fury."

"Alright Director Fury, when do I get to go home? I have school tomorrow morning."

"When you get to go home depends on her and you. As for school, I'm sure one of the agents will be happy to drop you off and pick you up. You got a name?"

"Mickey."

"Mickey what?"

"Mickey Finn." I stated dryly.

He gave me the same look that almost reminded me of Walter. A little lesson for you, a mickey finn is a laced drink usually with chloral hydrate. When I was a child my mother would say that I was a mickey or a mickey finn. I was a surprise inside of her that she never wanted. It stuck.

"This isn't a joke. So I'll ask again what if your real name."

"Mickey is the only name you need to know."

He scoffed at me. "Fine, if you want to make this more difficult that's your choice. When Delphina decides whether or not you're what she's looking for you won't be in my hair anymore."

He walked back up the stairs.

"Come on, maybe this all will be cleared up." He called back to me.

I followed after Fury and Delphina. Delphina was a slim woman, European, dark hair tied back in a triple braid. She was wearing a turquoise long sleeved dress with a flora design. She didn't say anything to me. If she had been looking for me, you would think she would have introduced herself. Fury took us through a door with the word conference room across the front. I was relieved that it wasn't an interrogation room. There was a large metal and glass table with about 30 leather chairs around it. Spiderman and Wolverine occupied two of those seats at the table with another agent. When we walked in the agent left and Fury offered us a seat. I sat beside Spiderman. Delphina was between Fury and Wolverine.

"Okay Delphina we entertained your scavenger hunt. Now you need to fill us in on why you are wasting our time and resources!"

"I am not wasting your time Nick. Trust me the safety of this girl will out weigh any overpowered monsters waiting for you to kill them."

"It better be for Dr. Strange to vouch for you."

"Director, everyone, for you to understand the importance of why I am here and why I asked you to find this child I must start from the beginning. I come from an ancient order of witches located in Athens Greece. Usually our order helps young witches wizards and etc to develop their gifts in a safe setting."

"Like the Xavier Institution?" Spiderman asked

"Yes, a lot like the professor's school for mutants. We have strong ties with Professor Xavier as well as Dr. Strange and his disciples. Before we became teachers we were warriors and guardians."

I felt my chest tighten with anticipation and worry.

"We serve our master the Oracle. She was a prophet and in the old days she kept the balance between good and evil. She would sow the seeds that would protect our future from total destruction by advising heroes. She was one of the most powerful witches but 300 years ago the last Oracle had died leaving no one to take her place."

"How does that work? How does a new Oracle become chosen for the task?" I asked afraid of what I might hear.

"Oracles will choose a successor and pass her gift to them. There are usually trained for it. Before that Oracles would be reincarnated and the coven would have to seek them out. They were found using this."

Delphina held up a long object wrapped in cloth.

"Caelestis, it is a scythe born from the death scythe. When the first Oracle was born Death gave the child a piece of the blade. While Death took lives the Oracle saved them.

"Okay Delphina enough of the history lesson. Why don't you get to the point?" Wolverine cut in annoyed.

Delphina looked offended at Wolverine's dismissal. She seemed to ignore he's request and continued speaking.

"Oracles however powerful are still human. In ancient Egypt it was common for Emperors and Kings to force Oracles to tell them the future so that they could have the upper hand. It became so bad that a magician Setna created a method to indoctrinate the Oracle. The Empire suffered for it, babies throw into rivers, innocent men and women slain, it was a blood bath. It isn't very clear in our text but it was around that time that the coven was founded. This is why I am here. Our order has texts and texts of history that was lost to mankind. Recently a scroll was stolen, the one that had Setna's ritual to enslave an Oracle. The priestesses informed us that it was a large grey man with blue lips, he called himself Apocalypse.

Wolverine and Fury straightened up and lean forward listening.

"If this mutant is able to force the Oracle under his will, he will have foresight into any situation plot or plan anyone one could ever challenge him with."

"You believe this girl is the Oracle?" Fury asked.

"I do. I must test her first." She looked over at me. I couldn't read her expression. Was it hope? The hope that she had finally found what she was looking for. I hoped that she was wrong. This was all too crazy. Me? I was some sort of powerful witch? No, that's not me. I was struggling to get my life together. I was living on the street. She had to be mistaken. I wanted to tell her that she needed to keep looking. I wasn't the Oracle. But the worse part was as I tried to believe that this was a mistake. In my heart I knew what I was.

"Director, I need to ask you for one more favor."

Fury touched his hand to his chin and looked at her perplexed.

"What do you need?"

"The Ceremony of Passage is a sacred event. It is done between the heads of the coven and the potential Oracle. I need to alone with Mickey at least. Since we don't have time to go back the Athens for a proper ritual, I have to make do with what I have."

Fury looked at the others who stood up and followed his lead.

"Wait what?" I asked. I suddenly felt queasy. "Don't leave me alone with this psycho! I'm not the Oracle."

They ignored me! They filed out the room closed the door and locked it behind them. I heard Spiderman ask if it was a good idea to leave. Fury expressed that they didn't have a choice with Apocalypse posing a threat. When I looked over at Delphina she was approaching me with Caelestis. I was on my feet and dashed to the other side of the table.

"Stay away from me! I want nothing to do with your coven or what ever you called it."

"Please Mickey I'm not going to hurt you."

I kept myself on the opposite side of the conference table at all times. I was trying to get to the door but she wouldn't let me get near that side of the room.

"Please do not force my hand Mickey!"

"I don't want to be your Oracle."

"We haven't had an Oracle in 300 years. This is a big honor. You will save so many lives. You would be a hero yourself."

"Heroes want to be heroes. I never asked for this. You can't just drop this bombshell on me and not give me a choice!"

"Sometimes sacrifices must be made and you will not have a choice." Delphina's tone was cold and serious.

Delphina closed her eyes and sighed. She opened them and they glow a bright purple color.

I went to step away but I couldn't move. The seat behind me pulled out by itself. I looked at Delphina and realized it was her. She took hold of my body with her powers and forced me into it. My arms were forced out in front of me, palms faced up, elbows bent. I looked over at Delphina who was holding a short staff in the protective cloth. I couldn't make it out. I saw a light illuminate from it. She walked behind me and placed it into my hands.

I never felt such horrible pain. A force was ripping through my body. It pulled me in all directions at once. I saw the past present and future, Life Famine Plague War and Death. The location didn't matter it existed from north to south, east to west. I felt joy excitement pain and sadness pass through me. Then everything went white and my ears rang. When the light faded and everything became clear again I found myself slumped on the floor.

"Is she okay?" I heard someone ask.

"Yes." Delphine said "She is the Oracle. The scythe has returned to its master."

"What now?" A rougher voice spoke.

"She is too raw at this point. She must be refined in her power. She needs training."

Everything became groggy and before I realized it my exhaustion got the best of me.


	4. Chapter 4

I imagined my life having multiple possible out comes. But, out of all of them I never thought I would be nested in the back of a black SUV with two well dressed S.H.E.I.L.D. agents as my escorts. That morning before I was allowed to leave the "safe confines of the helicarrier" as Delphina put it. Delphina went on a long rant about now that I was the chosen Oracle I would be representing the coven and humanity.

"You must carry yourself a certain way, with dignity and wisdom." She stated before I left for the docks. Her delusion that accepted this "fate" was kind of amusing. The agents had been nice enough to offer buying me breakfast. Which I declined, I stressed out enough from everything that had happen the idea of food made me sick. The first thing on my agenda was a way to escape this circus show. This was all just so crazy! I went from being a homeless bum trying to carve a future out of nothing to someone of importance over night. The sad part was I missed my freedom, even if they gave me a warm bed and 3 meals a day it wasn't the same as being able to go where I wanted when I wanted. I had to ask permission to go outside. They didn't allow me to wonder on my own. I was to always have at least on agent with me.

When I was a child I came to the realization standard Institutions weren't for me. It was all about control. How you think, what you do, it was no longer your right. It was a privilege. I ran against the grain of society. Maybe, it was because of my upbringing but things like school made me sad. I wasn't like other children. I smelled. I dressed poorly. I ate out garbage cans. My parents where strung out on drugs. Everything was moving around me but I never moved. My sister however, she fit in perfectly. She never allowed the world to be defined for her. She was determined to define the world. She went to school. She kept herself clean. She did her homework. Mom and Dad's habits didn't keep her down. I wished she was still here.

6:45 on a Monday and here I was being driven to school. It was surreal, I felt like my world was frozen in a crystal ball as everyone else kept going forward. How does a person handle traumatic event but is still willing to pick themselves up and greet the new day? At least Nick Fury was a man of his word. I looked down at the recently acquired sliver bracelet with Latin Arabic and English words around it. It read.

"Guardian of Life."

When I woke up and noticed it this morning I went to remove it but it didn't budge. Delphina came to check on me and make sure I was up to go to school I questioned her.

"Why won't it come off?"

"The scythe it meant to protect you until you can protect yourself. It will not leave you."

I didn't understand what she meant. How was a scythe able to protect me when didn't know how to wield it.

"Which way?" The driver asked bringing my thoughts back to the present.

"Make a left here and a right at the next light." I instructed him.

They were taking me to the public high school. I didn't attend the public school. I went to a private academy that aided teenagers who had issues staying in public schools. It was meant for people who wanted to learn but couldn't fit into the pecking order. In order for me to find an escape route I needed to lie and be clever. I was fighting against something bigger than me. A direct attempt would not work in this case. The vehicle stopped at the curb and with a quick thank you I got out and walk into the school. They didn't follow me inside. I was thankful for that. The school had over 1300 students in it, blending in was no problem. If I wanted to find Hagumi or Hitome 1300 students made it a different challenge. Public schools this large were basically giant day cares. People who wanted to learn were bullied or pushed to the back. Everyone else wanted to socialize and push around the meek. It was the perfect blend of stupidity sex and violence.

"Oh my God, She smells like wet dog." One girl with too much makeup and designer clothes shouted at me. I kept walking ignoring her.

"Don't ignore me mutt!" She shouted. I flicked her off without turning around.

"Oh hell no!" I heard as feet began rushing toward me.

I turned to fend her off but she was already on the floor with a loud thud. She was holding her nose and crying while a heavier African American girl stood over her calling her a bitch with too much ego.

"I'll put you in your place again bitch." She continued wailing on her when I heard a voice call for me. Hagumi was around the corner. We both slipped into the hall before anyone noticed. She lead me to the back of the school were some teens were talking or skate boarding.

"What the hell was that?"

"That was Kasha. She hates Rachel, and you gave her the excuse to beat the shit out of her again." Hagumi stated.

"Wow, well she saved me the trouble of having to do it."

I felt a hard punch in my left arm.

"Ow, what was that for?"

"What happened to you last night?" She almost shouted.

I knew that they would be worried or pissed off that I never showed up. Plus I didn't have a cellphone to call them on. David was probably freaking out and sent everyone out on a man hunt. I didn't want to think of what happened if they had stumbled upon the wreckage at the Forge and Fix. I have seen David become hysterical once. Never ever EVER again, it was terrifying.

"It's a long story Hagu. I promise I'll explain everything as soon as I can but, I need you to tell Kyle to meet me tomorrow morning at the prep school."

She furrowed her brows and squinted at me. Hagumi may be selfish at times but when times became serious her compassion would kick in. She placed each hand on my shoulders and pulled me close enough to whisper to me.

"Why? What's going on Mick? Why aren't you there now?" Her eyes shifted back and forth trying to find the answer in mine.

"I'll explain everything tomorrow just get Kyle to meet me okay?"

She opened her mouth to argue but shook my head slightly stopping her from pushing the subject any farther.

"Okay, but you owe me!"

"Thank you!" I said gratefully.

I hugged her and just before the first bell for homeroom ran I left Hagumi, probably confused as hell, and walked the extra 2 blocks to school. I should have learned my lesson by now about me and alleyways and how they kept leading me into trouble. It is human nature to repeat our mistakes or was it to learn from our mistakes? I always forget. The back alleys were the safest way to get to my destination without being spotted by stuffy agents.

Unfortunately the back door to the building was always locked so in order to get in I had to walk around the front. Monday morning in Manhattan the street was packed with people. It would be easy to slip into the brick building without being detected by someone on the street. All this sneaking around had me feeling a little like a badass. I know this probably sounds stupid but it did. How often did the average person have the opportunity to sabotage a government agency plans? I felt like a kick ass spy, and I'm not ashamed of it!

I looked up with I walked through the second part of double doors. Rick was in the hall talking to the secretary.

"Did you hear from her?"

"No, and no one is answering at the house either."

He looked worried which quickly gave way to relief when he spotted me.

"Hey Rick!" I said with a huff when I walked in.

"First time you've been late in almost 3 years."

"Yeah sorry about that, it's a long story."

"Well your attendance has been pretty much perfect so I'll let this slide." He smiled. "The class has already started their pop quiz. So I'll give you yours out here and when you come in we will go over it together."

"Thanks!" I didn't want him to know that I had been kidnap and was being held against my will by some weird government agency. I was pretty sure he wouldn't believe me and I didn't want him to think I was crazy. After I explained that I had "lost." my bag with all the homework in it. I wore my usual smile as I took the paper from him. I sat down in a chair outside of the class room and quickly finished quiz. It was a simple 10 question quiz on the French revolution. I was done before 3 other people and got to wait along with the rest of the class while they finished up. It was hard for me to focus on the lecture that Rick was giving. I kept worrying about the agents waiting for me outside. I tried to read along as he went but I kept looking outside to check it they figured out what I was up too. When the bell rang instead of staying after for extra help I was out the door walking back to my lie. The prep school was shorter that the average public school. In other schools it was 8 classes a year. In this school it was the 5 basic classes. No art classes or gyms. So we got out of school around lunch time. I had about 3 hours to kill before I had to get back to the high school. I decided it would be a good idea to head to the abandon house just to see if Walter was doing okay. He was and older man and winters could be hard on a homeless person. I was sure that he wasn't there but I had to check. I went inside and heard some rustling from upstairs.

"Walter?" I called out.

"The one and only." He called back to me. Walter was on the top floor. When I got up there I found that he had created quite a little home for himself. He had found an old twin mattress and a comforter to use. He even managed an electric burner and a pot.

"Wow!" I said impressed. "How did you manage all this?"

"Anything is possible when you find the right dumpster." He winked.

"Ok but the burner, how does it work without electricity?"

"Batteries, they do make burners for camping. I was worried when you didn't come back. I thought something else crazy happened out there."

"It's a really long story."

"Well I have time."

I looked over at him with a suspicious eye. He just grinned at me with his warm smile and patted a spot near him, could I trust him? I sat down across from him and I went through it all from the top. I left him to go with Forge to the Xavier school, and then the attack, and lastly being kidnapped and my escape plan. I tried to not leave out anything. It felt like this all happened over a couple of months but it was only 3 days all together. How could things change so quickly? What was equally surprising is Walter listened. He listened; he actually listened like he believed me. I was a little concern. I didn't want him rushing off to spread rumors about the crazy 18 year girl.

"She thinks she's an Oracle and that a government agency is after her."

I could just imagine how that would go over. He was homeless however and with society being as judgmental as it was. No one listens to the homeless bum.

"Your escape plan sounds good as long as you keep them in the dark." I didn't realize he was looking at me. His grin was gone. He was being serious.

"Big agencies like that tend to not give civilians enough credit. You're a smart girl stay two steps ahead but be prepared to fight for want you want in life. When you push they will push back harder. Life is never predestined as long as you don't allow it to be."

His words helped me walk down the stairs and head back to the other school. The surreal badass feeling was gone. I had to take this one step at a time. If I got too excited now I may screw this up. I played back Walter's words in my head.

"If I wanted my freedom I would have to have the will to fight back. My life was not out of my control." I whispered to myself. I snuck back into the school just in time for the last bell. Everyone was bustling out the building leaving me to meet back up with the two stuffy agents. I turned back and saw Hagumi leave with her sister. They didn't look at me so I wasn't sure if they had any grasp on how delicate the situation was.

"We have the Oracle heading back to headquarter."

I froze halfway into the SUV.

"I have a name!" I growled. I wasn't just some object being carted around. I wasn't a piece of property. I was a person! I didn't realize that I was drawing attention to myself but the few teachers and students left stopped and stared. I got into the vehicle and slammed the door shut. The drive back was awkward and quiet. It almost felt like a prison escort again. When we got to the harbor we took a helicopter to the helicarrier. It was busy as ever. Agents were running all over the place with files and equipment. I caught a few things they were saying here and there.

"IronMan is heading to….."

"Apocalypse was last sighted at…."

I couldn't catch anything completely. I, of course, was shown to my room on the "civilian level". I was glad they didn't lock me into my provided bedroom but I couldn't leave this level without proper ID. All of the elevators and stairways had card swipes, it was a glorified prison. It had a kitchen, bathrooms, showers, and an entertainment room. It reminded me of a communal dorm. Before the agents left me they informed that Delphina would be down in about 3 hours to give me time to get through my homework.

"Thanks." I replied annoyed. Homework was the least of my worries. These work packets and study guides no longer held the same importance as before. I finished everything with an hour to spare. I had to be ready for tomorrow. I packed my backpack and slid it under my bed. I replaced my covers and heard the knocking from the door.

"Come Mickey it's time for your lesson." I glared at the door. I would entertain her for now. Without resistance, I opened the door and followed her. We took the elevator down two floors. When we entered the bland hall shouting could be heard from down the hall. I recognized the voices.

"You need to back off Deadpool! This is serious, find another contract!" Wolverine growled.

"Damn right this is serious! How else am I going to pay for my amply supply of chimichungas hippity hops and grenades?"

"That's your problem dumbass!"

When we came through the door Wolverine had his mask off so it would be more appropriate to call him Logan. He had his metal claws through Deadpool's skull and mid section. There was blood and bullet holes spread throughout the room. In unison, they looked over at Delphina and me.

Oh good she's safe." Deadpool stated as he pulled away from Logan's blades and approached us.

"Where the hell do you think you are going?" Logan continued. "We aren't done bub!"

Delphina took a step forward and got between me and Deadpool.

"You're not taking her anywhere!"

"Listen Lady you're hot. I will admit that. But the bounty on her head will out weigh any smoking hot babe. So get out of the way or be filled with bullets."

Deadpool pressed his gun barrel against Delphina's forehead but she didn't move. She didn't even flinch.

"What the hell Wade?" Logan growled. I stood there in horror. What was with this homicidal psycho? How could he still alive after having knives going threw his skull. What was he?"

The stand still was quickly interrupted by the Director. He pushed his way past me and Delphina then drew his pistol and shot Deadpool point blank. There was a bullet hole that went from the front of his head to the back. You could see through him to the wall behind him. He faltered for a moment then fell dead on the floor. The splatter got everywhere. It even managed to hit in the face. My knees buckled and I threw up in front of everyone. I was shaking and light headed. I vaguely remember hearing Fury telling Delphina where the bathroom was. Delphina helped me up and rushed me to the bathroom. I threw up a couple more times then silence. I was lying on the cool tile floor trying to ease my stomach.

"All this fighting is over me, I have to get away from this place." I whispered.

I stood up and walked over to the sink. I washed my face and cupped my hands taking a couple sips of water from the faucet. I didn't have many chances to study my looks. I didn't need to but I took advantage of the moment of peace I had and peered into my reflection.

My hair was chestnut brown with my hazel eyes and slightly tanned skin. I wouldn't define myself as beautiful, but I wasn't ugly. I managed to keep myself clean. I bought clothing from the thrift store but it was better coordinated then what I use to wear. My hair was cut short by myself. It was shorted on the sides and back and slightly longer in the top and front. I saw the style in a punk music magazine and decided to give it a shot. I was 10 times easier to manage. I did looked a little like a boy with boobs. My thoughts where cut off when Delphina and Nick started arguing in the hallway.

"You can't just go off shooting people like that. We need to get Mickey on our side and that did not help."

"I am not going to tailor my actions for your Oracle. You wanted our help protecting her then let me do my job and you do yours."

They went back a forth like that for a while. I didn't move till things died down. I waited to leave the bathroom when I heard Fury walk away. I heard Delphina whisper something in another language, maybe Greek. She looked at me with a smiled asked

"Ready?"

"Yeah, I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

When we got back to the training room the blood and body were gone and Logan was waiting on us.

"What did you do with the body?" I asked him.

"Don't worry about him. He has a healing factor, unfortunately he will fine in a couple hours."

I felt a little relieve in an ironic way that the crazy man with the swords and guns wasn't dead. I'm just a compassionate person like that. That did bring my attention back to the contract out on me, it was unnerving. Who else was after me? Who else wanted me for my powers? What if I couldn't escape? Where does it end? There was coven, Apocalypse, and now a mercenary.

"Alright, before I start teaching you defense we are going to have to put some muscle mass on you."

"Really? You're going to make me exercise?"

"You are too scrawny. If you threw a punch at me now it would be more like a gentle breeze."

The offended look I gave him earned me a laugh. I went to punch him to prove him wrong but he caught it. I tried to pull away. I struggled but he just stood unfazed by my thrashing.

"Okay, I get it."

He let go of me. Logan started me out on physical training. I was doing push ups and sit ups and pulls ups which were more like "dangling-in-one-spot ups", and a lot of running around. Since I had no physical strength that's all Logan was doing for me. The suicides were the worse of all. If you ever had a gym class or play basketball or maybe any other sport you know what I mean. After that I got to learn about the history of the Oracle and the coven from Delphina. I was pretty sure the screwed up the scheduling because extremely physical activity made it harder for me to focus on boring lectures. Then I got a protein filled dinner and bed. I stared up at ceiling filled with worry and doubt.

"This has to work." I whispered to myself before falling to sleep.

Next day the agents dropped me off. I didn't waste time. I empty all my school supplies and dumped the bag that S.H.E.I.L.D. gave me while I was in the high school. Then I went to the prep school and handed in all of my homework. I told Rick that I had to go home a take care of my sick Grandfather.

"That's okay just don't forget your paper is due at the end of this week."

"Yep and all the make up homework from last week is in there too."

I walked outside and spotted Kyle sitting on the steps waiting for me. He was smoking a vapor cigarette. He was trying to quit because the smoke would make David sick and also for the health benefits. But that was always easier said then done. He did cut back to smoking only was he was worried. He looked over his shoulder at me. He stood up pulling the cigarette out of his mouth to speak.

"What's going on Mick? Hagumi wasn't very clear."

"Look I don't have the time to give you the full story here."

"So give me he footnotes."

"I've been kidnapped by some sort of agency known as S.H.E.I.L.D. They were contracted to find me by another group, it's complicated but we need to get off the streets before they realize I am missing."

Kyle straightened up and grabbed my hand. We darted across the busy street and hopped into his dark blue Rav-4. Before I noticed we were parked in front of the loft. I didn't want to know what would happen when the agents realized I had escaped.

Everything was quiet. David was at work and without the twins the silence was different, in a good way. Kyle grabbed his phone and turned to me.

"I'm ordering Chinese, do you want anything?"

"Lo Mein and fried dumplings." My heart was racing at what I did. I was stuck between excitement and horror which made me a little worried about trying to eat. But, I was starving. I fell face first on to the whether leather couch and let out a long satisfying groan.

"Okay." Kyle sighed after hanging up the phone. "Give me the full story."

It was like a record on repeat. Everything from the top, I had to include the parts about Deadpool and the contract. Kyle sat there for a moment and thought.

"It's good you got rid of anything they gave you."

"I figured they might have planted a tracking device just in case I did go missing."

"f we manage to keep you under the radar till June when you graduate. Then you will be able to leave Manhattan."

"And run my entire life?"

"Either that or be forced into something that you obviously don't want." I shuddered at the thought.

"I will take a moment to point out one thing to you."

"What?"

"If it is your duty to help heroes help the world. Don't you think running away like this puts everyone at risk? What if you have a vision of a cataclysm event? All you need to do was give the Captain or even the Xmen a call but you can't cause your hiding from them. Aren't you putting lives at risk?"

"Delphina told me that the world has gone a long time without the Oracle. They made it this far, why would the suddenly need me now?"

"Okay, look there are other engineering school in California. Maybe if I went to the west coast it would buy you some time. You could finish school and leave the country."

"Do you know anyone that far west?"

"I have an Aunt that is very supportive. I know she will do me a favor."

My thoughts were swimming. This was just so crazy.

"You are going to have to stay somewhere."

"Yeah and pops isn't going to let me live with him again." My grandfather hated me. I was too wild when I was younger, he would say. He was verbally and mentally abusive. I remembered the on day when mom was having a good day. We were in the kitchen baking cookies and some flour spilled on the floor. Pops came storming in calling my mother a slob and trash. He told her that she raised trash and none of us would matter to anything. My mother stood up and left us too clean up the small mess. She didn't come home for about a month. When she did come back she was stung out on heroine and couldn't tell who was who.

I sighed at the memory.

"You can stay with us." Kyle offered.

"I was afraid you would offer."

"What other choice do you have? You know that David won't care, but you will have to let him in on your current living condition or he will call your grandfather and find out from him."

"Crap! Okay, I'll tell him only if you are in between us. When he explodes and tries to kill me. I can make my grand escape."

"Worse he can do it attempt to ground you."

"Should I call him mom too?"

"Stop!" Kyle said annoyed. I laughed at him.

David returned home about 4:30 pissed off and flustered.

"Assholes! Everyone is an asshole in an asshat!" He shouted. I could hear him slamming his car keys in the bowl near the door.

"Kyle, could you rub my..." He stopped when he saw me on the couch.

"Oh, hi Mickey." He greeted me a little confused and worried. My mouth was stuffed with Chinese food so I waved at him. The only time I was at the loft on a weekday is if there was something wrong. The last time was when my grandfather hit me. Kyle smiled and patted the spot beside him. We told him everything that had happened including my homelessness. David sprinkled the explanation with "Oh my God." and "You idiot."

"I'm glad you are safe. You can stay with us until this whole thing blows over."

I gave David a hug and thanked him. Then twins came over and were updated on all the excitement. Hagumi grilled me about what happened. I apologized.

"I just didn't want to put anyone else at risk until I was sure it was safe."

"What now?" She asked.

"Now." Kyle cut in. "We make a plan."


	5. Chapter 5

I don't know if we were optimistic or absolutely mad. Normal people would run. They would pick up and leave the state or country. My friends and I decided to stay, probably due to a lack of cash, trying to hide me in plain sight until graduation.  
>"You know when you lose something like your keys or wallet?" Kyle explained. "Then you find it sitting on a shelf staring you in the face. This is the same idea. They will expect you to pick up and go so we will keep you right under there noses.<br>The idea seem far fetched, but there wasn't anything else I could do.

David came in with dyes for my hair.

"Damn Dave did you buy out the entire stock?" Kyle asked.

"I didn't know which color would look good on her so I got one of each."

David was as professional stylist so he ended up getting the best quaility dyes.  
>He set five plastic bags down on the coffee table. There were blonds, strawberry blonds, reds, burgundies, and blacks with 3 outlandish colors, crimson red, electric blue and neon green.<p>

"I like the blue." I commented.

"Wouldn't that make you stick out more?" Kyle asked.

"Not if we do it right. We could make my hair black with a spot of blue." David walked up behind me and placed his hands on top of my head.

"Maybe all of this on top black and then underneath this piece in the front can be blue."

"Oh I like that!" I agreed.

We figured out that a slight change in look and a schedule in place we could be prepared. Kyle had suggested the buddy system. Since Kyle Hagu and hitomi where mutants they would escort me where I needed to go. Unfortunately that meant no unnecessary trips. Which didn't bother me as much because they were my friends. It wasn't as controlling as stoic S.H.E.I.L.D. agents dragging me to and fro.

The process of dyeing my hair was, interesting. Kyle prepared the dye. He never dye anyone's hair before and began brushing it on my head kind of like a neanderthal. David, feed up with the haphazard display, snatched up the brush and shooed his boyfriend away.

"She'll end up with uneven coloring if you slap it on her head like that. This is why I do your hair!"

Kyle smirked and leaned against the counter watching David put dye like a true professional.

"I hope this works." I sighed.

"It will, after about an hour you will be black and blue with no red all over."

"Not the hair! This plan 'hiding me in plain sight' thing. S.H.E.I.L.D. is a major organization. They hunt down villains all the time, like Apocalypse. It can't be that much harder to find an 18 year old woman."

"We just started Mick. You can't throw in the towel so soon." David comforted.

"Besides," Kyle interjected. "Like you said they hunt for super powered villains. You're not a villain. They don't have a set up procedure to capture the 18 year old and your smarted then the average bear."

"Hey, bad jokes and puns are my gig find your own!" David scold. "Nobody is stealing picnic baskets here."

"Why do you always ruin my fun?"

"Why do you love it?"

"Touche."

"GUYS!" I spoke up. "Stop flirting with each other before David dyes my forehead!" I could feel the cool wet sticking ooze making its way toward my nose.

"Shit! Sorry honey."

David grabbed a kitchen towel and wiped my forehead clean. Once the black dye was all in David prepared the blue.

"Don't play with the shower cap!"

It was almost scary how much of a mom David was like. I kept scooting the cap around uncomfortably.

"But it itches!" I whined. I looked at the clock, 11:30 just 20 more minutes.  
>The twins went home when David left to get the dye. Hagumi was the one who suggested changing my hair color.<p>

"They are looking for a brunette. So become a blond, red head, or black hair will help."

"Do you really think that it will make a difference?"

"A little can go a long way Mickey." It sounded like a good idea at the time, until the itching.

"11:35, this sucks. How do people do this all the time?"

"That's why I don't get my hair colored. I let David bleach my hair once. It burnt the crap out of me."

"Stop scaring her!" David called from the kitchen. Kyle blew a raspberry in his direction and check the clock again.

"Come on." Kyle said. "It's time to rinse."

By the time the whole process was over and done with it was 12:30. I was tired and waited patiently while Kyle made up the couch for me.

"Hagu will be here for you in the morning, goodnight."

"Goodnight." I yawned as I fell into a deep sleep.

The dream I had that night was strange and very discombobulating. I was in a room. It felt more like a cave. I could hear the wind passing through but everything was dark. I realized I was standing in sand. It was dry and warm. I dug my feet into it. After a minute I decided playing in the sand wasn't helping. I stopped and turned around in a circle trying to make out some sort of shape or detail. I spotted a bit of light leaking in from a crack in the wall. I walked toward it careful not to stub my toe on a rock. I heard screaming as I approached it. I had to crouch down to be able to see.

I recognized the world past the gap as ancient Egypt. The blood curdling screams and battle cries filled my head. Men in chariots mowed down helpless women and children. Warriors and soldiers tried to fend off the invaders back to no avail. In the middle of the chaos was a man dress in fine clothes. The man was showing signs of age. He had some gray hairs and the beginning of wrinkles. There was a young woman following him. She was dress in nothing but a skirt with two slits on either side. She had shackles on her hands and feet making it hard for her to escape. The battle around them didn't even phase them. The man looked at the frail woman with a sneer.

"Don't look so distraught my pet. You made all this possible you should be proud." She didn't make eye contact with the man in front of her. No, he was not a man, that thing was a monster. He grabbed her face and wrenched it toward him. He tried to kiss her. She resisted him which he did not approve of. He threw her into the dirt and kicked her in the stomach. She curled up in pain.

"You disgust me." He growled, but she was no longer paying attention to him. She stared at me. I couldn't look away. What was she trying to tell me?

"What is it?" I whispered to myself. The man stood over her drawing his dagger out of the sheath.

"No! No no no! Stop! Don't kill her!" The words were breathless and silent. I started crying. I was watching helplessly as he ran the blade from one ear to the other. She didn't struggle. She closed her eyes accepting death. She start gurgling her own blood. Her head made a sick cracking sound when he released her. He turned from her and called to a warrior. I could not understand them anymore.

Then everything stopped. Time was standing still. The woman was looking at me. She was covered in her own blood. Her mouth moved but the words were broken and mixed with spats of blood.

D-t l- is fate."

I could only catch the last word

"Fate?"

I woke up entangle in my blanket and both of the pillows on the floor. I looked over at the clock. 4:30am was lit up in bright green light. I was trembling and sweating. I pushed myself up onto my feet. I felt something slide off of me. There was a thud of metal hitting the floor. I looked down at what was a large scythe on the floor. It was glowing and warm to the touch. It was lighter then it looked like it was made just for me.

"You must be Caelestis." It responded, glowing brighter and turning itself into the bracelet that I had become familiar with. I tried to remove it but it wouldn't budge.

"Great."

Hagumi was over at 5:45 with two tall Starbucks coffees. She shoved one into my hands and then started walking to school. I said goodbye to Kyle, who was still trying to wake up David. Hagu was not a morning person. You don't speak to her, look at her, don't even think too loudly. When we got to my school I got a small grunt as a response to my goodbye.

The school day went by as normal. I thought I was going to get through this unscathed. I was in my math class when I noticed a very familiar S.H.E.I.L.D. agent walk into the lobby. My blood went cold. He was talking with the secretary. Mary looked very uncomfortable. She picked up the phone and dialed for Rick. He came out of his office and met with the man. He was shown a piece of paper. I was so screwed. They had a photo of me and Rick was going to give me away. This was the end. I had to decide which was better, jumping out of the window in attempt of escaping or letting them take me back. Rick study it for a moment then handed it back shaking his head. The agent left with out a fuss. I was shaking so badly I didn't realize that I had snapped my pencil. My hands were gross from the sweat. My loving math teacher decided I wasn't paying enough attention. She called me to the board to finish a problem she started. I was still shook up from the incident that unfolded. I started to figure out the problem but the teacher took my trembling as not know the answer.

"Go back to your seat and keep your eyes up here."

When class let out I went straight to Rick's office. I had to know what happened. I would have a lot to explain to him. I knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in."

Rick's office was small with one window, but cozy. He looked over at me and smiled.

"Have a seat."

"I was wondering about that man in the suit from earlier."

"What about him?" He asked.

"Why was he here?" Rick lend forward rested his arms on the desk.

"They were looking for someone. He handed me a photo of a young woman with brunette hair. I told them I didn't recognize her."

"Was that a good idea?"

"They weren't police or FBI. They didn't have a warrant. Whoever they were looking for they won't find her here."

He winked at me. That comforted me a little. Rick knew about my rough past and probably thought it was some thug trying to start trouble. That worked for me.  
>After school I had to tell Kyle what happened. He snorted.<p>

"See the plan is working."

He made a right turn into the over crowded Vin Bleu parking lot. Vin Bleu was an upscale french restaurant in the downtown area. It was named after the blue wine that Chef Obert Sauveterre family was known for in France. I was a cleaner. It was part time but helped me get food, drink and thrift store clothing. Chef Sauveterre was the owner of the restuarant. He was a really nice when he wasn't shouting at you. If there was food left over he would try to split up the food between the three tiers: Servers, Cleaners, and Cooks. I always got some because Chef thought I was too skinny.

In the kitchen if you were a cleaner you were one of three positions; washer, sprayer or a loader. I was usually squeezed between the loader and washer which meant I got the high pressure sprayer. Nobody likes the sprayer, ever! The spray was hard to control. If you got too much water on the floor and the was one of the cooks slipped on it, it was both of your asses.

The kitchen also had an interesting hierarchy. Cooks where on top then the servers and lastly us lowly cleaners. If you fell in Chefs favor the respect would vary, so would the name calling. You could be an idiot, a dolt, or a moron. If he was really mad it was all french words. You were considered a lucky one if you still had your name after being hired. If it was a "nice" nickname, you were even luckier.

"M.F!" He shouted. M.F was my "nice" nickname. I tired to tell him not to call me that. It made me feel like he was calling me a motherfucker. When I explained that to him it just endeared him use it more.

I was in the locker room getting changed. I was startled be the abruptness and tried to cover myself with my shirt.

"Yes Chef?"

"Prep Sarah has fainted. I need you to go to prep." He threw me an apron. I stared at him stunned.

"I'm not a cook. I don't know how to prep food."

"Can you cut things with a knife?"

"Yeah but,"

You're hired lets go."

He grabbed my arm and dragged me into the kitchen. He stuck me between two other preps. The kitchen was extremely understaffed explaining my temporary promotion.

"M.F will be assisting with prep. You need to keep her with vegetables and teach her what you know." Then he was off trying to handle another problem.

"I'll try my best." I said.

"Do what you can, here are your knives."

The knives were crazy sharp I was lucky I didn't remove a finger. I had a hard time dicing onions while attempting not crying into it. In a hour, I learned how to dice, slice, mince, and julienne. There were zucchinis, carrots, leeks, mushrooms and beets. Things that leaked or bled made a mess all over me and the cutting board. I was half way through the shift and cover in sweat and vegetable bits. I never realized how much swearing actually went on in the kitchen. The water in the dish washing station blocked everything out. Chefs were throwing a fit at preps. Serves were irritated while waiting for their orders at the hand off. It made me miss my old position.

I was finishing up a zucchini when there was a crash over at the hand off station. The head off prep ran over to help out with the mess. That left us with an unfinished red onion and an unhappy Chef. He was starting to swear in french at the top of his lungs. I panicked and grabbed the onion finishing tit as quickly as I could. I felt a hot pan hovering beside me. I didn't dare look up at him. I could feel the rage radiating off of him. I place it in the pan. He went back to the station and continued with his dish. I was glad when the night was over. The kitchen looked like a disaster. Everyone had to stay and help with cleaning. All the spare food was packed up and distributed out. I ended up with two full bags.

Snow was coming down again. Chef Sauveterre offered me a ride home. I declined stating a friend was going to pick me up. I checked the cheap prepaid phone David got for me when he picked up the hair dyes. He decided that this situation was the best time for me to aquire one.

"I programmed all of numbers in there so you can contact any of us when you need us." It was coming in handy.

"Sorry, work is holding me up. I'll be there in 10-20 minutes." I read to myself.

Since Kyle was running late I decided to take a quick trip to visit Walter. I knew deep down I should of stayed put but I worried about the old man. Winters were terrible for any normal person. Homeless people had a rougher time with no shelter and little food. I had two full bags. I could easily spare one. I slipped past the old floor boards and ran up the stair. They squeaked with each step.

"Walter?" I called.

"I brought you some yummy food!" I entered the room.

"I hope you're-"

I couldn't finish my sentence. I was overwhelmed with fear. The man in the red and black mask was sitting comfortably beside Walter.

"Deadpool."


	6. Chapter 6

It was like being a mouse in the snake pit. The room hadn't changed that much since I left to meet Forge. There were a couple of differences. There were two red throw pillows with gold embroidering on the old mattress. He seemed to have found an couple of extra batteries for the generator and had bottles of water with labels on them. Half of the bottles had the word drink across them and the other half had bath/cooking. This man was amazing, had he been a boy scout or a soldier when he was younger? Walter seemed very comfortable with the masked man lounging on his old mattress. A pile of about 20 to 30 empty Bud light beer bottles was at Deadpool's feet while only one empty beer bottle sat beside Walter. The smell of alcohol blood and body odor coated the upstairs. I wanted to pinch my nose and back out of the room. This had to be because of Deadpool's bad influences. Walter seemed to good, even though he was squatting in an abandoned house, to allow where he live to smell this terrible. I had a mix of emotions; fear, anger, and annoyance. I was still trying to act natural but having a crazy but fully armed psycho made it a little difficult.

"Hey um Walter, I got a bunch of left overs from my job and I came over to share." I said with a forced enthusiasm. I was never good at hiding fear. I was terrific at hiding and running away. It was my usual way of avoiding trouble.

"Oh thank you dear!" He was surprised from my sudden appearance. I noticed his clothes changed. They looked like they had been recently bought.

"I was worried that you weren't coming back!"

"Yeah things got a little crazy and now I am staying with a friend."

Walter got up and retrieved the second bag leaving me with the first. When Walter got closer I noticed a bruise running up from his neck to the side of his head. The bruise was a range of colors; purples blues a little green and yellow.

"What the hell happened there?" I asked. Walter chuckled and explained.

"I was in a alley behind a nice furniture store looking for a throw pillow or something for my bed. I found a nice red one and I was about to leave when I heard shouting from the street. I went out to see was the fuss was about and was run over quite large fellow Deadpool over there was chasing."

"I knew there was a reason I loved homeless bums." Deadpool burped. Walter shrugged.

"You should have someone look at it. There are free clinics that can help you."

I looked over at Deadpool. He looked dirty like he had been rolling in the dirty with some blood on his outfit. I was afraid of what happened to the guy he had been chasing. Was it another bounty since he couldn't find me? What other poor soul did he hunt?

"So uh, why is he here?" I whispered not taking the time to hide the concern and disapproval in my voice. "He's not staying here too is he?

"Oh no, no no! He offered to buy me some beer and hookers as a reward for helping me. I opted for the beer and requested clothes instead of hookers. I'm not one for hookers. "

"It seems like he drank all the beer."

"He got one!" The mercenary defended. I shook my head. I guess in a strange way Deadpool had something that resembled a heart. I wouldn't call a heart exactly. I mean he was still a crazy mercenary sent to hunt me down for what I assumed to be a crazed millionaire that was power hungry. But, it had to something close to it. I was the only person that noticed the tension in the room. Deadpool kept eying me up like he new me. I declined quickly when he asked.

"Are you sure we never dated?"

"I'm positive."

Did he recognize me and was play coy? There wasn't an easy way out of here if he chose to come after me.

"Are you okay?" Walter asked.

"I'm fine." I lied. I was stuck in a weird sense of deja vu from the second encounter I had with the loud mouth mercenary. Walter didn't look convinced but he accepted my answer. I didn't to drag him in to this mess so I pushed back the worry and anxiety.

"Open the bag!" I urged him.

"This is from the Bleu Vin. It smelled like heaven!"

"Ew that's snails and smelly cheese." Deadpool shared then cracked open another beer and walked over to join us.

"You shouldn't stereotype! I guess that means more for me."

"You can keep your gross french food. I'll stick in the safety of tacos and pizza."

"Man can not survive on tacos and pizza alone."

"It's better then pooping snails."

"That's disgusting! I'm sorry for my friends rudeness. Thank you for the food."

"Don't apologize for me! I'm not sorry."

Walter set the bag down and started to go through it. Deadpool tried to "help" but his reaching hand was slapped like a child dipping into the cookie jar. I was enjoying confrontation when I felt a sensation coming from my wrist. Caelestis was glowing again. I went without a vision for almost 4 days and having one suddenly caught me off guard.

This was the strangest premonition I would ever have. It was broken but not in the way of see certain scenes. I couldn't seen all of the scenery. It was a sea of white with no edges or shadows. I turned around and saw Hagumi. She was standing on an island of side walk in front of the apartment that her and her family lived in. She was shouting up at her mother who was upset. I assumed she was demanding that Hagumi would come inside. I couldn't tell why though, everything was moving slowly and there was no sound. I walked behind Hagu and touched her shoulder. Everything froze. I walked to the front of her. Her eyes and nose were bleeding. I was so startled that I backed up into something solid. Then there was darkness.

When I opened my eyes Deadpool and Walter were staring at me. I couldn't tell if it was horror or awe.

"Oracle." Deadpool said.

I abandoned the bag of food I still had and was down the stairs before Walter could react. I heard him call for me. Deadpool followed after me. I came down from the top floor to the second. I should have gone down to the first floor and out the way I came in. I instead ran to the far room hoping to slow him down. I got into the bedroom and slammed the door in Deadpool's face. I felt the thud when he made contact.

"Don't be that way. I'm not going to kill you. Your no good if your dead."

"Oh that's so comforting!"

"The guy who wants you is a collector. I'm sure he'll feed you and give you a good home!" Deadpool kicked in the door to the room but I sneaked out through the interconnecting bathroom.

"Damn." He swore looking around. I tried to tip toe out of the second bedroom praying that the floorboards didn't creak. They didn't until I managed to fall through one. I was stuck. Deadpool caught up to me quickly.

"If you agree to come with me I'll get you out."

"Bite me! You think your employer is going to treat me well. He will use me like Setna used Eshe."

"Who-in-the-what-now?"

I paused. How did I know those names? The first was from Delphina. She mentioned Setna was the man that figured out how to force oracles under his will. Eshe, she was the one from my dream. I saw Setna kill her. She's trying to warn me. She's trying to prevent the past from repeating itself.

"You can't hand me over to whoever hired you. You will put the world in danger and that includes yourself."

"I don't know what you are going on about. All I want is to get paid and buy my yacht full of sexy ladies. Unless you can 10.5 mill-" THUD!

Deadpool slumped to the floor unconscious. Walter stood over him with an iron caste skillet.

"I found this too. I never understood why people throw away so many nice things."

Walter helped me out of the hole.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded and took a breath.

"What about him?"

"Go upstairs and I will take care of him."

I wanted to ask how then I didn't. I went upstairs finding the food I had splatter across the floor and Walter's bag had been trampled on. I noticed the tracks that were left from the sauces and oils. What a waste.

Walter returned 20 minutes later. He was breathing hard as he climbed up the stairs. I didn't ask what he did with Deadpool's body. I new he wasn't dead so it didn't matter what he did with Deadpool. Walter grabbed his duffel bag and began packing what he could carry.

"What are you doing?"

"We can't stay here. He may try to come back. It's better to make ourselves scarce."

"Yeah." I agreed. I check the time on my phone. There were 15 missed calls.

"Shit, I'm in trouble." I didn't bother listening to Kyle's angry messages. I called him back. When he answered I began explaining myself. I didn't want him to get a word in.

"I'm sorry. I had extra food from the restaurant and I ran it over to a friend who is squatting in a house I use to squat in. I lost track of time. I am so sorry Kyle."

When Kyle was made at you you didn't want to give him the chance to speak because his words were sharp and cold. He's made little girls cry before just from one glimpse. But for me there was silence and then a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad you're okay. Hurry up and get back here, it's started snowing again. David has dinner waiting for us."

"Okay bye."

"Bye."

"Is that the friend you're staying with?"

Walter was trying to stuff a couple of paper back books with no cover into his bag. I didn't think they were going to fit but he got them in. I didn't think about offering him a hand. Now that I think back I wish I did. I could of carried the generator and the batteries. Instead I let him leave all the things he found behind in that house. What makes me regret it the most is in the summer the house was demolished finally.

Walter was standing next to me completely packed and waiting for me to finish on the phone.

"Yeah, that was Kyle. He's known me since middle school. We are close friends."

"Can I meet him?"

"Sure, I have to meet him now at my job."

On our walk back to Bleu Vin Walter inquired about me.

"It's been bothering me." Walter started "What was a bright young woman like you doing squatting in an abandon house?"

I looked over at him and smiled.

"I uh heh." It was hard to bring those words forward. I would rather just forget. "I didn't get along with my pops. After my mother passed away he kicked me out."

I wasn't lying but it wasn't the complete truth either. I have mentioned before my life wasn't perfect. My parents were addicted to drugs. My sister and I survived off of hand outs and trash cans. I was the trouble maker. I hated school. I hated people. I hated everyone but Kyle and my sister. My sister was the brilliant one, she was willing to make the effort to swim up stream. I let the currant carry me. I couldn't share these thoughts with him or anyone. There was no changing the past so why share it? I spotted Kyle next to his car which allowed me to escape the subject Walter brought up.

"Kyle!" I called. He was smoking a cigarette leaning on his car. He waved at me as I approached. He was still wearing his suit and tie. Kyle was studying for law and was an intern in a near by office. He loved playing music but it was just a hobby for him. I used to poke fun at him about the clothes he had to start wearing. Until he pointed out how much more money he was going to make then me. He loved killing me fun like that. I chuckled in my head when I heard Walter quietly whisper "fancy" to himself.

"Lets get going, David has been bombarding me with text messages."

He looked over and noticed Walter standing there patiently.

"Is this your friend you brought the food too?"

"Yes. This is Walter."

"Walter Augustine Periwinkle Schrewsberry III." Walter introduced.

Kyle reached out and shook his hand.

"That's quite a name. It sounds familiar did you grow up in New York?"

"No, I'm from everywhere at this point."

"Did you already finish the food?" Kyle asked. "I was expecting you two to have bags. Did you forget them at the house?"

Crap. Kyle was always the one to take notice to detail I guess that means he was going to be a good lawyer.

"On our way out I slipped on some ice and dropped my bag trying to save myself. I grabbed onto Mick and cause her to fall too. The food wasn't salvageable." Walter lied. It was really impressive. He didn't miss a beat. Kyle didn't seem suspicious of the lie at all.

"Do you need a ride?" Kyle gestured to the car.

"No, I have something I need to do first. Then I'm going to head to the underpass. There is a homeless community there." Walter adjusted his duffel bag on his shoulder. The bag seemed rather new. It must of been another thing Deadpool bought him or he found it in a dumpster. I couldn't deny that Walter's resourcefulness was impressive. We waved him off and watched when and across the street and turned the corner form the bypass. When we returned to the warehouse district it was almost 10pm. I was glad for the night to be over. David was waiting for us wearing his red apron still on.

"That took you two forever. Where were you guys I was starting to get ready."

"Honey I text you." Kyle replied.

"I know but I have a feeling there's something that you two aren't telling me. Did you guys go out for drinks or are you having an affair?" Kyle made a short snorting

sound of disbelief. I couldn't stop laughing.

"First of all, Mickey is still underage. She can't get into bars. Second, I'M GAY!"

"I know but you two have known each other for a long time and all." David replied with a smirk. David enjoyed teasing Kyle like this a little too much at times. It was like an old inside joke. When David first met Kyle he assumed that he was dating me. Kyle tried so hard to get David to notice him. In the end it took me being blunt and telling him that Kyle was gay and interested to get the ball going. I will always remember my words that day. It was a month after I enrolled into school for the long run. We went to the mall out of town where David parents lived. David was lucky enough to having loving and accepting parents. The exact opposite from Kyle and I. They were well off too with a large house and two cars. They were nice enough to have all of us over. It was Hagu, Hitome, Kyle, David, and myself shopping for gifts for Davids little sisters birthday. We stopped to rest and get some tacos. Kyle tried to get David alone to talk to him but it just wasn't syncing up right. Finally, I got David to wait in line with me for food.

"He's a queer and he's head over heels in love with you. If you don't take him out on at least one date I will slap the shit out of you!"

David was so stunned that he got out of line walked over to Kyle and kissed him in the middle of the food court.

"I'm sorry but Kyle is like my brother. I'm not into incest." I huffed as I tried to calm down.

"I know dear. I have to give him shit sometimes."

David gave Kyle a kiss and walked back into the kitchen. You could hear him fumble around with the stove.

"I was about to keep the food warm while you two dallied. Come in here and grab your plates."

The plates were piled with lasagna and sauteed vegetables. There was a side of soup and bread to go along with it. It was butternut squash soup that was homemade. It all smelled amazing. We sat at the table and for a small moment it was almost like having a family. We laughed and talked about our day. It made all the terrible things that happened earlier seem like a dream. After dinner David surprised use with dessert. It was a mouse pie with Oreo cookie crumble.

"I hope you like it. It's an old recipe from my grandmother." David stated. It made me a little sad. I never had really grandparents. I had pops but he was an ass, plus he hated me. I didn't want to linger anymore on the past. I had a delicious dessert in front on me. I took my first bite and it was so smooth and creamy. I was almost like silk. It was so amazing I indulged myself with two more slices.


	7. Chapter 7

The next five months I didn't stray from the routine. It was mundane and dry. I got up at 6am showered dressed and ate my breakfast. Hagumi and Hitome would arrive at 6:45 and we walked to the school. I stayed there from 7 till 1 then depending on the day I would be escorted to work by who ever was free to work, unless it was my day off then Kyle or David would drive me back home. It was on a warm day in June I got the nerve to make my way to Forge's.

"Stay out here. I'll be right back." I said to Kyle after he managed to squeeze his car into a mailbox sized parking spot.

"Where do you expect me to go?" I caught be for shutting the car door. There was a sign on the Garages customer entrance.

"Closed till farther notice for remodeling."  
>I pushed the door open hearing an unfamiliar beeping announcing to the shop a customer was waiting. It was still slightly ruined. You could tell where Forge started to rebuild. All the lights were replaced and the truck went from red to sliver and was up right. No debris on the floor or tools, if it wasn't for a couple holes that still needed to be filled it was normal.<p>

"Forge?" I whispered in that way a person whispers still wanting to get someone's attention but to afraid to disturb them.

"Can't you read the sign. We are closed!" I heard Forge call from somewhere in the back. I walked to the back where he was patching a wall. He was covered in paint and plaster with his overalls and short sleeve red shirt. He adjusted his hat as he turned to look at the intruder annoyed. His expression quickly changed to shock and then washed to relief.

"Katrina!" Forge slipped. I cringed at the sound of my name being spoken.

"Mickey." I corrected him. I didn't seem like he realized his mistake as he embraced me. He then held me at arms length and looked me in the eye.

"5 months kid?" He questioned.

"I'm sorry it's complicated."

"I'm sure it is. S.H.E.I.L.D. came by looking for you a couple months back. Since you managed to slip away from them they thought you might have come here."

"What did you tell them?"

"The truth, I didn't see you since Apocalypse came through looking for you."

"Did they ask you anything else?"

"If I knew any friends you may go to or if you had any family outside of the state. I told them that I knew the school you were attending but you never spoke about your family or friends to me."

That explained why they shown up at my school. I was thankful that my teacher had my back. Now I was worried if Forge would show the same loyalty or rat me out to the power that be.

"Are you going to saying anything?" I asked hoping for the answer I wanted.

"No." He answered. I don't know whats going on but sometimes it's best not to know. I trust there is a reason you left. S.H.E.I.L.D. isn't prefect, far from it."

Forge walked past me and picked up my old book bag I left behind.

"Here, I kept it hidden for you."

"Oh wow thank you! All the homework in here is outdated but I could always use more bags."

He laughed. "Come on, lets sit and catch up."

"Oh actually I can't. My ride is waiting outside for me and I have graduation rehearsal to go to."

"When am I getting my invitation?"

"As soon as I get them, I promise." I gave Forge another hug and returned to the car.  
>At our first rehearsal we picked up our lists that told us what we could and could not wear at graduation. Our school did not have the funding to buy cap and gowns. Rick had us in the lounge together and explained how graduation would proceed.<p>

"You will enter in behind the 2014 class from the high school but your seats will be in the front. Their practices start tomorrow so we will go over to the school."  
>I tried to pay attention to the graduation planning but my mind was in a different place. What would happen after graduation? If I got the Stark scholarship I would be set. It was a full ride for school. I would even be able to go somewhere outside of the country. Tony Stark never did anything halfway. If I get the scholarship I could go to London, Japan, or Germany. The moving fees would be covered too. Which worked out well for me because I didn't have much to take with me. What had me really worried was if I didn't get the scholarship. I could go to community college wait 2 years and try again. There lies the problem. I didn't know if I could hold up for another 2 years. I had a government organization, a crazy mutant, and a mercenary looking for me. I was lucky that I made it through the last 5 months to graduation.<p>

"Tomorrow is going to be a full dress rehearsal so make sure you have what you are going to wear ready. I'll see you guys tomorrow." Rick concluded and we all hung around and chatted a bit before rushing out to our new found freedom.

"Have you picked out your outfit?" Tom asked. He usually sat beside me in class. After I lost all my books and homework he was nice enough to photocopy his text book for me, copy right laws be damned.

"I don't. I have to see what i can afford. I have a friend who wants to drag me off to go shopping but well he can go a bit over board." If you are wandering, yes it was David I was referring to. I went shopping with him once and as soon as we found a clothing store I became his living barbie.  
>I manage to slip out of the awkward what are you going to wear conversation. I tucked myself around the corner in another hall and checked my phone.<p>

"Sorry Mick, I am running late." It was a text from Hitome.

"That's ok." I sent back. "I was thinking about visiting Walter."  
>Hitome responded with a frown. " ): "<p>

"It's not that far from the school. I'll stay there till you come and get me. He's under the old bypass."

"Okay. Be careful."

The underpass was cramped. There were women and men with boxes tarps and barrel fires. I have spent the a few nights hear before Grandma Bandit died. Grandma Bandit was this old woman that took care of teens and young adults who are trying to survive in the streets. She was an amazing thief and shared some lessons with people she thought deserved it. It was what she taught me that kept me fed most days. She got sick last winter and died in her sleep. The worse part was it had been the common cold, but the medicine cost too much. When I finally earned enough and got back to her. She was gone. I never went back there till then.  
>I found Walter sitting with a group of equally old men. They were laughing and joking about their younger years.<p>

"There's my girl!" He called to me. I shuffled my way through and gave him a hug.

"How does it feel to be all grown up?"

"Not much different." I laughed. "You're coming to my graduation."

"Well if these old bones will carry me."

"That wasn't a question. You are coming, even if I have to walk here and drag you."

"Isn't she bossy." Another elderly man bellowed.

"I wouldn't miss it." Then Walter leaned in close to me. I could smell the hotdog he recently ate on his breath.

"That crazy mercenary came looking for you but I told him that you were taking a bus to Georgia. I am hoping that goose chase keeps him out of the state for a while."

"When did he find you?"

"Recently, I was surprise how long it took. I'd figure he would be more like a blood hound searching for a kill."

"Every little bit helps."

"What are you two whispering about!?" A drunk man spouted."Isn't she too young for you Walt!"

"Don't be disgusting Joe. She's like a daughter to me!"

"Oh I bet she is."

"Okay this just got super uncomfortable for me." I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.

"Hitome is waiting for me. I'll see you later Walter."

"Goodbye dear."

Hitome walked me over to her apartment. Hagumi her and their mother lived in a 5 story apartment building. The apartment was an old renovated Victorian house. The exterior and some of the interior still had all the old Victorian charm. The rest of the interior had been updated back in the 80s. There were a couple more modern appliances like the fridge and washing machine. The apartment was owned by an old German man, but he was too elderly to keep up maintenance so his very flirtatious son did all the work.  
>Mr. Stienberg would hit on any single woman i over the age of 20. That made him enemy number one for Hitome. Since Mrs. Tsukino husband past and they were force to move Mrs. Tsukino never really tried dating again. She still wore her wedding ring for a very long time. Then she met Mr. Steinberg and one day Hitome notice the ring was missing from her finger. I think it was then when Hitome became overly protective of her mother around Mr. Steinberg. The apartment was 3B when we got inside the tension was so thick I don't thing the hottest knife would get through it.<p>

"Okasan!" Hitome called. We went through the living room back to the kitchen. Mrs. Tsukino was sitting at the small kitchen table with Mr. Steinberg enjoying some coffee. The evidence lied out before us was a couple of grocery bags which made me assume that she had go shopping and Steinberg was kind enough to help her with them up the stairs. Hitome didn't seem to want to see their innocent coffee drinking as her mother's way of thanking her helper.

"Is there something broken?" Hitome said sharply as she stare with the most judgmental look I have ever seen a human being give.

"No, Mr Stienberg helped me with groceries." Her mother gave her the look most mothers give when there child does something they don't approve of.

"I should be going." He said as he abruptly stood up. "Apartment 2D needs a new light fixture and if I don't get down there soon she'll call Dad and chew his ear off.

"Thank you for the coffee Nana. Goodbye Hitome."

"Good ridance." Hitome whispered to herself a little too loudly after Stienberg shut the door.

"Hitome!" Mrs. Tsukino started before she went off in Japanese. Hitome started to argue back but then here mother said something that stopped her and she looked down at the floor.

"Please start the rice for me. Your sister should be home soon." Her mother turned toward me. "I'm sorry I can't stay. I have to run something to work. I will be back to celebrate your graduation."

Once me and Hitome were alone again I sat at the table and stared at Stienbergs half fill lukewarm coffee. Hitome dug through the bags until she found the rice she was looking for. She dumped a couple cups into the mesh strainer and started rinsing.

"So what was that little spat between you and your mother about?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay, so what's this celebration your mom mentioned?"

"It was suppose to be a surprised but I guess not. Since your grandpa sucks and Kyle and David are too busy being adults. We decided you give you your graduation party. Hagu was going to decorate but her commission is running over."

My stomach to turned. The vision I had 5 months ago was still taunting me. Every so many weeks it would come back in some sort of twisted nightmare. If it wasn't a terror it was as broken as when I first had the vision or just audio. The worse part was I could not piece it together. I knew that something bad was going to happen and where but I didn't know when or how. Was it today or tomorrow a month from now or even a year? I wanted to say something to Hitome but I was stuck between not wanting to scare her and the need to know argument. That old conundrum. While I sat there debating about whether I should continue to keep this to myself or share it. I notice that the scenery around me started to change. I was back in the premonition again. I was a freeze frame scene with Hagumi yelling up and her mother who was hanging out to of the apartment window telling her daughter to come in. Hagumi was filming something. I walked up and looked at the screen of her phone. There was destruction all around but the battle was moving in slow motion. In the middle of the mess was a sign from a local bar coming down the street toward us. I looked back at Hagumi smiling completely unaware of what was coming.

"Mickey! Mick!" Hitome called me. I jumped and swung around when I realized she was in the livingroom.

"What is it?" I got up and joined her. She was watching the news with her mom, who just came back and hadn't taken off her cost yet. The reporter was speaking quickly to the camera about someone or something attacking the city and the avengers were on site. Then a S.H.E.I.L.D. agent walk up and asked the woman to clear the area. At the bottom of the screen were other little bits of news and which streets to avoid due to the battle.

"Thats the street that the Bistro is on." Mrs. Tsukino spoke. "Hagu is doing that project for them. I have to go get her."

"No, Mickey and I will go. We will be faster together. You should wait here just incase she comes back." Hitome replied

"Ok but ask Mr. Stienberg to go with you."

"I don't think we will need his help."

"It's better to have three pairs of eyes then two." I added

Hitome was reluctant but she agreed to ask him to come too. On our way out I could shake my vision. I tried to bring up the idea of waiting for Hagumi here but Hitome wasn't listening to me. She got Mr. Stienberg to come with us and I suggested that he checked around the neighborhood just in case she was on her way back. We separated and Hitome and I ran to the Bistro. It made me nervous how close the battle was to the apartments. There was wreckage everywhere. A lot of people escaped into near by public buildings causing places like the Bistro to be packed. Hitome and I squeezed to the counter. While she was talking to the manager I watch as people were filming and taking photos of what ever they could see. You would think of the was bit of building and cars flying through the air you would try to keep away from the windows. One of the employee had to yell at a group of teenager climbing into the window seat. They were updated their twitters and facebook status. It was normal. Hitome grabbed my arm and led me through to the back of the Bistro.

"Hagu isn't here. She just left before the battle got heavy. He's taking us out the back so we can avoid the crowds."

"Where should we check next?"

"The manager said she has her tagging gear with her. So, lets try all her usual spot before we go back."

We proceeded to make a big square checking the bridges railroads a couple of vacant lots and underpasses. All of them were empty.

"Did we think to text or call her?" I asked.

"I did a couple times but she's not answering. Her phone might be dead or she's ignoring me. It wouldn't be the first time."

We ran back to the apartments keeping an eye out for Hagu on the way. Hitome was the first to spot her outside of the apartments. She was filming the battle yelling up at her mom. Mrs. Tsukino was yelling back frantically in japanese. Neither of them were paying attention. The fight had traveled toward them like I feared. There were police officers and paramedics running around. Hitome and I both looked to our left at the same time. It was almost instinctual. We saw the sign that was ripped off the building. It was rolling down the street so fast. Hitome was the first one who started screaming. She ran toward her sister hoping to be able to do something. I followed blindly. Hagumi looked at us then over at the sign the Hitome was looking at. Her face changed from excitement to horror. None of us realized what would happen next. None of us notice that Mr Steinberg had passed Hitome and I and was able to push Hagu to safety. Unfortunately he was clipped by the sign and sent flying into a parked car. His limp body broke the windsheild. I stopped running. Everything went back to the normal time rate. Mrs Tsukino was outside with the rest of us. The three of them was checking Mr Stienberg to see if he was breathing. I stepped backwards. How did this happen? It was Hitome who was there not Mr. Stienberg. Had I been wrong? I turned to leave. I wanted to hide away from the world. I felt as if I had done something bad. I had to have changed Hagu's fate. In doing so I condemned another person. Was that what it meant to be an Oracle? I was so plagued with my doubts that I didn't realize that the wall that stopped me from walking any further wasn't a wall. I looked up and saw the familiar sneer looking down at me.

"Apocalpyse!"


End file.
